THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The authorities are gearing to reopen the iconic Museum and Zoo for the public from Tuesday that has been shut for the public since the Covid-19 outbreak.
Ever since the outbreak, hundreds of joggers and fitness enthusiasts in the capital had no avenues for jogging, walking and evening activities.
However, the authorities have laid strict ground rules to ensure the safety of the visitors. Temperature checks will be conducted for all the visitors at the entry point and those with body temperature higher than normal will not be allowed to enter the premises.
Director of Department of Zoo and Museums S Abu told TNIE that sensor-enabled hand sanitiser dispensers have been installed at various locations inside the premises to facilitate the visitors. He said people coming to the museum should not dump around used masks or spit in the open.
“The city is slowly limping back to normalcy and we expect everyone to follow the social distancing norms strictly. We cannot allow large groups of people coming together for walking and jogging. Also, we strongly recommend those coming for walking take the same direction to avoid crossing each other,” said S Abu. He said crowding will not be allowed.
There are around 150 to 200 staff working at the Museum and Zoo. “It’s impossible to disinfect the entire premises which sprawl around several acres every day. We may disinfect the public spaces inside the premises twice or thrice a week. We will be putting up posters displaying protocols at multiple spots on the premises,” said S Abu. Kanakakunnu Palace premises--another open space in the city-- will remain shut indefinitely. A senior official said the Tourism Department is not planning to reopen Kanakakunnu Palace premises in the near future.
“The order from the government restricting more than five people to gather at a time in view of the Covid-19 still stands and hence we have decided not to open. Also, we don’t have too many staff at Kanakakunnu Palace to manage the crowd. We may decide to reopen when the state government gives nod to conduct festivals,” said the official. The official said only three to five staff are on duty at Kanakakunnu.