Coronavirus forces closure of Delhi zoo till March 31

NEW DELHI: Delhi zoo will remain shut till March 31, following which a review will be conducted by the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) and the Union environment ministry, an official said. The capital joins Maharashtra, Bihar, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Rajasthan and Uttarakhand in shutting down the zoological parks to prevent further transmission of the novel coronavirus.

CZA, the regulatory body for zoos across the country, told TOI that the decision was taken to protect visitors and prevent large gatherings at public places. It stated that, while an approval for shutting down had been given by the MoEF, the official notice would be out soon.

Suneesh Buxy, director, Delhi zoo, however, said, starting Wednesday, they stopped selling ticket and closed entry of the visitors. “The zoo will be shut till March 31 and a decision after will be taken by the authorities. We haven’t received the official notice from CZA yet, but have decided to shut down the zoo from Wednesday itself,” said Buxy.

Earlier this week, CZA had also issued a notice, asking zoos to carry out thermal screening of each visitor at the entry and exit gates. “Zoological parks in the country witness a high footfall, and in this regard, it is requested that precautionary measures be taken to prevent further transmission of Covid-19. Essential screening and proper sanitation measures should be maintained at the entry and exit gates,” the advisory read.

On weekends, footfall at Delhi zoo touches around 20,000 people. However, it has been ranging between 2,000 and 5,000 in the past few weeks, a zoo official said.