Mumbai's Byculla zoo is set to reopen on November 1

The penguins have been the star attraction at the zoo. File pic/Ashish Raje

After temples, theatres and cinema halls, now the Veermata Jijabai Bhosale Udyan and Zoo or Byculla zoo is set to reopen on November 1. It will reopen after the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) commissioner gives his approval for the same. However, entry to children below 12 years and senior citizens could be barred. The zoo has been closed since last March and was briefly open between February 15 and April 4 this year before the second wave.

"The preparation for reopening the zoo has been completed. Physical distancing marks have been made in front of ticket windows, and sanitisers will be available at several locations in the zoo. As per COVID-19 norms, children and senior citizens are advised to stay away from crowds so the entry to children below 12 years and senior citizens is barred," said Dr Sanjay Tripathi, director of the zoo.

However, the mayor said the decision on entry to them could still be changed. "The BMC cannot take decisions on its own and is dependent on the advice of the COVID Task Force and guidelines of WHO. Even schools which reopened for children from Stds VIII to X are for limited hours. So the entry for children in the zoo is restricted and the decision will be taken accordingly," said Mayor Kishori Pednekar.

In the pre-pandemic days, the zoo would have around 10,000-12,000 visitors on an average on the weekdays, and the crowd would swell to about 15,000-20,000 on weekends and public holidays. However, the zoo administration at present plans to allow no more than 4,000 visitors at any given time. If the number exceeds the set limit, further entry will be denied. Since shutting down on March 22 last year, the zoo has suffered a loss of Rs 8 crore.