The underpass connecting the main entrance of Mysuru zoo and the zoo parking lot was inaugurated on Wednesday.
Though the subway was opened last month on an experimental basis as the management was mulling over making some additions to the facility for visitors’ convenience, the facility was officially inaugurated by Minister in charge of Mysuru district S.T. Somashekar.
S.A. Ramdas, MLA; Pratap Simha, MP; Manje Gowda, MLC; Mayor Sunanda Palanetra, Zoo Authority of Karnataka Chairman L.R .Mahadevaswamy, Member Secretary B.P. Ravi, Zoo Director Ajit Kulkarni and others were present.
The zoo management said the subway was built to facilitate hassle-free entry of visitors to the zoo premises from the parking lot without crossing the busy Shalivahana Road.
The subway has been built at a cost of ₹1.89 crore. It was fully funded by the zoo. The work was started in January 2020 and completed in December last. The completion got delayed due to COVID-19 pandemic.
The subway is about 30 metres in length, 4.75 metres in width and 2 metres in height.
Hundreds of tourist vehicles are parked at the parking lot located in front of the zoo and the tourists rush to the zoo crossing the busy road, causing congestion. Children and elderly citizens often used to find it difficult to cross the road because of heavy traffic.
The zoo used to attract 10,000 to 15,000 tourists during peak tourist season and during Dasara festivities. However, the numbers have dropped now over the pandemic but the management is confident of getting back the numbers once the pandemic situation eases. The rush used to cause a lot of congestion on the road, according to the zoo authorities.
Shalivahana Road connects Mysore Race Club, Siddhartha Layout, Ittigegud, Lalitha Mahal Road, T. Narsipur Road, Alanahalli, Chamundi Hills and localities on the foothills and therefore the road witnessed high traffic density. The road used to get choked during Dasara and holidays, forcing the police to make the traffic one-way to ease congestion.
With no alternatives available, the zoo decided to build the subway for visitors’ safety and also for smooth traffic management. Taffic constables were deployed daily outside the zoo main entrance to ease congestion and for the safety of zoo visitors crossing the road.
