Mysuru: Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens, popularly known as Mysuru Zoo, has hiked the entry fees for visitors on weekends and public holidays to boost its revenue. The increased fees came into effect yesterday (Nov. 1).

The entry ticket which earlier used to be Rs. 60 per adult has now been increased to Rs. 70 on Saturdays and Sundays and public holidays, while the prices during weekdays will remain the same (Rs. 50 per adult).

The ticket price for children, which was Rs. 20 on normal days and Rs. 30 on weekends, remain the same.

The fee for battery-operated vehicle has been increased from Rs. 125 to Rs. 150 per head on all the seven days of the week. The Zoo administration has decided not to increase the ticket price of the battery-operated vehicles for senior citizens and children, which will remain at Rs. 75 on all days.

Mysuru Zoo Executive Director, C. Ravishankar said that due to a steady increase in footfall each year, the administration had implemented several facilities such as 10 Reverse Osmosis (RO) units, four baby care centres, 10 battery-operated vehicles and seven free toilets for visitors.

Increase in the number of animals and higher prices of commodities have resulted in higher maintenance costs. With escalation in maintenance costs, the authorities suggested an increase in the price of entry tickets during weekends.

Thus a decision to hike the prices on weekends was taken during the meeting of the Zoo Authority of Karnataka (ZAK) which was held recently, he said.

The entry fees had not been revised since three years and a proposal for revising the entry tickets for public, students, battery-operated vehicles and entry fee of Karanji Lake was submitted to the ZAK.

The Executive Director said, “Keeping in mind that this is Mysore Zoo’s 125th Anniversary, the administration felt that hiking the fees would be inappropriate at this moment and decided to implement it only for weekends and for battery-operated vehicles.”