BHUBANESWAR: Nandankanan Zoological Park, one of the premier zoos of the country, has notched up an all-time record by registering footfalls of a whopping 33 lakh visitors during 2015-16.
The zoo records put the exact visitor inflow count at 33.19 lakh by March 31, the last day of the financial year. It is a healthy 14 per cent jump over the previous year when the tourist footfall stood at 29.04 lakh.
The rise is significant considering the prevalence of hot weather conditions which generally impedes tourist inflow.
According to Zoo Director Sudarshan Panda, the continual rise in visitors’ inflow shows that the zoo remains a prime attraction for tourists because of its amenities and exhibits.
Not only the visitors’ arrival, the Zoo has also registered a record jump in revenue generation. By the fiscal end, the animal park netted an income of Rs 8.56 crore. In 2014-15 year, the revenue generation stood at Rs 7.16 crore. Much of the earning comes from entry fee which was hiked from March 1.
Meanwhile, the zoo authorities have already put in place arrangements as the summer onset was early. The thatching, cooling and water supply provisions were started in advance as mercury rose sharply well ahead of time.