Patna: A day aft- er heritage pain, the citizens had a piece of progress gain. The wheels of battery cars started rolling on the zoo premises today. A few miles away and a few hours earlier, nearly a century-old horse carriage (tum-tum) stand outside Patna Junction station was demolished.
The city lost one of its heritage sites with the stand. But in came the smart and economical battery cars as a balm for children, senior citizens and physically challenged people fond of visiting the Sanjay Gandhi Biological Park.
Deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi hailed the cars as economical and eco-friendly. The tum-tum owners, on the other hand, cried foul over the demolition of their stand.
Inaugurating the golf car service, Modi said: “These golf cars would be of great help for physically challenged people, senior citizens and people in general to take a complete round of the zoo. People get exhausted by the time they cover half of the zoo. Besides, these eco-friendly golf cars would be highly soothing in summer.â€
The economical golf cars would halt for five minutes at all the important spots, including aquarium and snake house, in the zoo. A complete trip around the 153-acre zoo would take merely an hour. Jai Mata Di Private Limited has been awarded the contract to run the golf cars for 10 years.
Adults would have to pay Rs 30 for a ride in the golf cars. For children between 3 and 10 years, the fare would be Rs 20. The ride is free for children up to 3 years.
“The golf cars are environment friendly vehicles as they are smokeless and noiseless. Visitors would have a comfortable time while exploring the zoo,†Abhay Kumar, the director of Patna zoo, said.