New visitors’ centre proposed

The National Zoological Park on Mathura Road is all set to shed its skin. Nivedita Khandekar reports. Master layout plan

The National Zoological Park on Mathura Road is all set to shed its skin.

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Under the proposed master layout plan, the park will don a swanky new look with a reworked main entry facing Mathura Road, a fore court and a brand new visitors’ centre complete with landscaped lawns, an automated parking and a food court.

The visitors’ centre will have an education centre with exhibit gallery, activity hall, auditorium and/or amphitheatre, souvenir shop and cloakroom with a security control room.

“The exhibit gallery will have photographs of animals and birds. We have also planned to screen wildlife films at the auditorium,” RA Khan, zoo’s curator, said, adding that they would also train the zoo staff here.

“The administration should take care not to uproot the trees planted by dignitaries on the western side of the zoo office. It also includes a tree planted by former Prime Minister IK Gujral,” warned a zoo well wisher.

Owing to the large number of visitors that the Delhi zoo gets, existing facilities — including a cloakroom, a zoo curio shop, public conveniences and an ATM — will also be reworked.