BHUBANESWAR: Visitors can enjoy ropeway rides at Nandankanan Zoological Park after a gap of around 12 years. Inaugurating the project under ‘Ama Odisha Nabin Odisha’ initiative, Forest, Environment and Climate Change Minister Pradip Kumar Amat said the service will help boost visitors’ footfall at the zoological park. Apart from the ropeway, the zoo will add more facilities and services for visitors soon under its fresh master plan. “Boating facility will also resume in Kanjia lake within a couple of days,” he said.
Zoo director Manoj V Nair said the ropeway project has been implemented in PPP mode and all safety measures are in place to provide a hassle-free service to visitors. Installed at an investment of Rs 12 crore, the ropeway operates with mono-cables linked to two towers. It starts from the zoo campus and culminates at the botanical garden, covering a distance of 626 metre. With 12 cabins, each having capacity to accommodate three to six persons, the project is believed to be the biggest so far in the state.
They said 72 visitors can enjoy the ride at any given time, while a maximum of 400 visitors can enjoy the facility in an hour. The service will be available to visitors from Saturday for Rs 120 per head. Visitors can avail the service both from the zoo as well as botanical garden. Two separate counters have been opened for the purpose. The service will be available from 8 am to 4 pm daily, excluding weekly holidays, said Zoo deputy director Sanath Kumar N.
Officials of Kolkata-based Damodar Ropeway Infra Limited (DRIL), the firm which has installed the ropeway and given the responsibility of its operation and maintenance, said they have obtained all the permissions.The ropeway can run on electricity and power generator. Generator will be used when electricity supply is interrupted. Apart from daily, weekly and monthly inspection by the firm, NDRF will carry out safety audit of the project every six months.ACS, forest Satyabrata Sahu, PCCF and HoFF Debidutta Biswal, PCCF (Wildlife) Susanta Nanda, Jatni MLA Suresh Routray and other dignitaries were present.