The Indian Express 20.08.2013
PMC revises entry fee at Katraj zoo
approved the proposal seeking Rs 5 entry fee from students on
educational trips to Rajiv Gandhi Zoological park at Katraj. So far,
students were given free entry at the zoo. However, the committee fixed
the entry fee for general public at Rs 15 as against Rs 20 proposed by
the administration.
Standing committee chairperson Vishal Tambe said the civic body
will give entry to adoption centre at the zoo at a charge of Rs 1,000
for a group of ten.
“The expenditure on food and medicine for animals is more than
the total revenue earned from the fee collected from visitors. Thus,
there was a need to revise the entry fee,” said Tambe.
As per the proposal, the entry charges have not been increased
since November 2008. The charges for children up to the age of 12 have
been retained at Rs 5 as against proposed Rs 10. The entry fee for
foreigners has been increased from Rs 25 to Rs 50.
However, the entry for the blind and physically challenged at the
zoo will continue to be free. There will be no charges for still
photography, but visitors will have to pay Rs 100 to shoot videos inside
the zoo. The charges for battery-operated van has been increased from
Rs 10 to Rs 20 for children and from Rs 20 to Rs 30 for adults.
In 2009-10, the expenditure of the zoo was Rs 1.96 crore. It increased to Rs 2.54 crore in 2010-11 and Rs 2.93 crore in 2011-12.