The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Aquarium set to receive the holiday crowd

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, May 02, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Aquarium set to receive the holiday crowd

P. Oppili

Improved visitor amenities, additional fish tanks and better animal sighting will attract more visitors to the Arignar Anna Zoological Park this summer.

CHENNAI: The aquarium at the Arignar Anna Zoological Park, Vandalur, has been extended with 13 new fish tanks.

P.C. Tyagi, zoo director, said the aquarium earlier had 21 tanks displaying different species of fish. Recently, a portion of the aquarium was damaged. The new tanks have been installed at a cost of Rs. 4 lakhs.

The authorities have also improved the water circulation system in the aquaria. With a view to enhancing the experience of visitors, the lighting facilities, flooring and wall panels have also been improved, zoo officials said.

Improved amenities

With the beginning of summer holidays, new amenities such as additional road rails, battery-operated vehicle (BOV), water tanks, benches and thatched sheds have been added.

Four new road rails have been laid and each new coach has four units. Similarly, a BOV has been repaired and put into operation to take visitors on the lion safari, taking their number to three.

Drinking water facilities have been improved, with the installation of six new water containers at different places in the Park. New wooden benches have also been installed. Apart from this, the authorities provided four additional thatched sheds where visitors arriving in groups can have their food.

Increase in visitors

There has been a steady increase in the number of visitors to the zoo in the last few years. During April 2003, a total of 62,000 persons, including children, visited the zoo and it touched 1.07 lakhs during May that year. The following year, the zoo attracted 62,000 visitors in April and 1.07 lakhs in May. Between January and March, a total of 2.30 lakh people visited the zoo.

Mr. Tyagi said the number of visitors would increase during this month.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Tamil Nadu

News Update

Stories in this Section

Inhaler therapy key to asthma control

Tiruvallur tanks on verge of becoming `dead' structures

Aquarium set to receive the holiday crowd

Hospital launches paediatric pulmonology wing

Wildlife trophies come under microscope

Around the City

In Chennai Today

Reader's Mail