Bhubaneswar: After being closed for over six months due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Odisha’s Nandankanan Zoological Park and State Botanical Garden reopened for visitors today.
The following guidelines have been issued by the zoo authorities for the visitors to ensure their safety and prevent COVID-19 transmission:
- The visitors allowed for entry into the zoo should not have cough, cold or fever symptoms. They should undergo body temperature scanning at entry gate.
- e-ticket booking should be priorities over manual ticket booking and collection for contactless transaction.
- For everyone’s health, all adults and children of seven years of age and older must have a mask or facial covering that covers the nose and mouth to enter the zoo.
- All visitors should pass over the medicated foot mat/whole body sanitizer/any such installations fixed at the zoo entrance. They should avoid carrying luggage, which needs a locker/cloak room facility.
- Visitors should maintain social distance on the zoo premises and avoid touching barricades and other surfaces. They should move along the designated visitor path only.
- Additional cleaning and disinfection measures of all facilities, especially elements that are touched frequently to be ensured by the zoo management. Provisions of hand sanitizer and/or hand wash to be given at multiple strategic places.
- Those above 65 years of age should not be allowed to visit zoo.
- Visitors should neither spit nor chew pan masala, gutka or khaini.
- Spaces shall clearly mark on the ground to indicate safe distance where queues might form e.g. entry gate, bathroom access, indoor/walk through exhibits areas in the zoo.
- Limiting the maximum number of visitors’ entry per day is prerogative of zoo authority. Operationalization of Safari and BOV services will be decided later.
- Interaction between visitor and zoo staff should be minimal and with ensuring social distance norms. The staff frequently interacting with visitors e.g. staff at entry gate, ticket counter, toilet will wear face shield, globes and mask.
- Same guideline to be followed for visitors’ entry to State Botanical Garden, Nandankanan. Picnic is not allowed.