KSRTC electric buses proposed inside Puthur Zoological Park

A team led by Revenue Minister K. Rajan visited the Puthur Zoological Park on Sunday (June 29) to conduct a feasibility study for operating KSRTC electric buses within the park premises. The initiative aims to enhance transport convenience for visitors, especially those who may find walking the park’s 6.5 km stretch challenging.

The team included KSRTC Managing Director Pramoj Shankar and officials from the Revenue, Forest, and Transport departments. The visit follows a high-level meeting held in Thiruvananthapuram, attended by Forest Minister A.K. Saseendran, Transport Minister K.B. Ganesh Kumar, and departmental officials, where it was decided to explore the possibility of using electric buses within the park.

The buses will operate on a loop inside the park, starting near the ticket counter, with stops at designated points where passengers can hop on and off. With a single ticket, visitors can explore various sections of the zoo, reboarding the bus at each stop to continue their journey. There are also discussions on introducing open-top KSRTC vehicles from Thrissur city to Puthur Zoo as part of a tourism circuit.

Mr. Rajan also announced that 37 new species of animals and birds, including those not currently found in Kerala zoos, will be introduced to the Puthur facility. These include exotic species like macaws, cockatoos, anacondas, African elands, zebras, and giraffes, to be brought in from abroad and other States in five phases within this year.

Meanwhile, works for the safari zoo and animal enclosures are progressing, with construction tenders expected to be finalised soon. The pet zoo and virtual zoo —features designed especially for children — are also in the implementation stage.