Ticket rates set to go up at Chennai’s Vandalur zoo, Guindy park

Other zoos that will see a hike in visitor fees are Guindy Children’s Park in Chennai, which is a medium-category zoo, besides small-category ones like Kurumbapatti Zoological Park in Salem and Amirthi Zoo in Vellore.

As per the revised structure, the entry fee for adults has been increased to Rs 150 from Rs 115 and foreigners will no longer have to pay a higher entry charge. The fee for using the battery-operated vehicle on the premises has been hiked to Rs 150 from Rs 100, while that for the non-AC safari vehicle has been raised to Rs 150 from Rs 50. The charge for using a video camera has been revised to Rs 750.

Parking charges will no longer be on an hourly basis as per the revised norms. While charges for bicycles and rickshaws have been scrapped, a flat rate is set to be fixed for two-wheelers and four-wheelers. Entry will continue to be free for people with disabilities and children below age five.

A proposal for revising the ticket rates in all four zoos was placed before the 21st Governing Board meeting of the Zoo Authority of Tamil Nadu under the chairmanship of Chief Minister MK Stalin in November last year and the board approved them.

The Arignar Zoo is one of the largest and oldest in the country. Known for its scientific management practices, AAZP was rated the ‘top zoo’ in the country by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in 2022 with the highest management effectiveness evaluation score in the ‘large zoo’ category, according to officials.

At present, the park houses around 1,977 wild animals belonging to 170 species and has expanded its education and research wing by collaborating with leading institutions and associations like the World Association for Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA).

“The park works with the mission of conserving wild animals, notably rare and threatened species of the Western and Eastern Ghats. The park is recognised as a Centre for Excellence by the Central Zoo Authority,” the release said, adding that it attracts around 20 lakh visitors annually.