A demo drive of an electric buggy was held on the zoo compound here on Friday. Tourism Minister A P Anilkumar conducted the demo drive of the buggy, which will soon be introduced in the Zoo. Zoo authorities are planning to purchase around four buggies.
Anil Kumar, accompanied by other zoo officials, drove the vehicle in the zoo on Friday morning. The electric buggy can accommodate minimum 20 persons. “The demo drive of the buggy was successful. We are in touch with the manufacturing company regarding the price and other details. A report will soon be submitted to the government. A decision on the number of buggies to be purchased will be made only after the government approval. Currently, we are planning to buy four buggies,” Zoo director K Udayvarman said.
The buggy was introduced after Minister for Zoo and Museums P K Jayalakshmi got complaints against the zoo being unfriendly for differently-abled persons. “Not just differently-abled, others too can use this facility,” Udayvarman said.
Spread over 35 acres, the zoo, one of the oldest in the country, is set for a major makeover with suggestions from the Central Zoo Authority.