BHUBANESWAR: After eight years of waiting… toy train service will resume Nandankanan Zoo (with officials receiving train engine and four bogies from Rail India Technical and Economic Service of Indian Railways)sacraments)
A technical team from RITES will soon arrive in a week to conduct the trial run. The toy train of the zoo has been closed for four years. The track, engine and bogies had to be replaced to completely replace the zoo.
“RITES will come up with its annual maintenance proposal as it is a technical body and we want it to do the annual maintenance work instead of handing it over to a local party. The 3.2 km joy ride in the toy train will excite the visitors,” said the director of the zoo Manoj Mohapatra.
Cyclone Fani Zoo officials estimate that the toy train service was delayed in 2019. With the resumption of the toy train, the annual passenger count will increase by 2 lakh.
Zoo officials said earlier there used to be a narrow gauge track that could carry 60 passengers on the journey. It was closed in 2012 and the authorities have not been able to restore the service since then. This time after the overhaul, the track will have standard broad gauge.
“We are yet to decide whether the fee will be charged for the joy ride,” said a zoo official.
Earlier the government used to charge Rs 10 per passenger for a trip. “We can increase the fare. Fee will be decided after the tender is opened.
The number of shuttles in a day will depend on footfall and demand. The zoo will set up animal enclosures on both sides of the train track so that visitors can see the animals during the journey.
A technical team from RITES will soon arrive in a week to conduct the trial run. The toy train of the zoo has been closed for four years. The track, engine and bogies had to be replaced to completely replace the zoo.
“RITES will come up with its annual maintenance proposal as it is a technical body and we want it to do the annual maintenance work instead of handing it over to a local party. The 3.2 km joy ride in the toy train will excite the visitors,” said the director of the zoo Manoj Mohapatra.
Cyclone Fani Zoo officials estimate that the toy train service was delayed in 2019. With the resumption of the toy train, the annual passenger count will increase by 2 lakh.
Zoo officials said earlier there used to be a narrow gauge track that could carry 60 passengers on the journey. It was closed in 2012 and the authorities have not been able to restore the service since then. This time after the overhaul, the track will have standard broad gauge.
“We are yet to decide whether the fee will be charged for the joy ride,” said a zoo official.
Earlier the government used to charge Rs 10 per passenger for a trip. “We can increase the fare. Fee will be decided after the tender is opened.
The number of shuttles in a day will depend on footfall and demand. The zoo will set up animal enclosures on both sides of the train track so that visitors can see the animals during the journey.
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