Sudarsan Maharana
Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, June 2: A proposed plan of the state government to resume ropeway and toy train services at the Nandankanan Zoological Park (NZP) is hanging fire following their closure years back due to dismal management by private stakeholders.
To attract more tourists to the zoo, the state government in 1986 had entered into an agreement with Ropeway and Resorts Private Ltd from Kolkata to operate the ropeway here for a period of 30 years. The ropeway began operating from October 1, 1994. However, poor maintenance of the ropeway led to technical snags, following which the service was unable to operate regularly. The company also started defaulting on payment of tax to the government following which the state government scrapped its license in December 2011 and planned to issue fresh tenders.
Likewise, outsourcing for management and operation of the toy train service at the zoo took place in 2008 and the tender was allotted to Gangadhar Rout with the approval of the Nandankanan Purchase Committee, and the service continued till 2012-13.
Later in 2013-14, when the service was retendered, the purchase committee approved Citicon Services Private Ltd of Bhubaneswar for a period of two years. However, a year later, the company expressed disinterest in running the service. Consequently, the government recovered only Rs 1.25 lakh which the company had paid towards security deposit and the service was disrupted.
During the budget session of the Assembly this year, forest and environment minister Bikram Keshari Arukh had said the services will be resumed soon.
“The bidding process for resuming the toy train service took place twice in August 2014 but none showed interest so the government went for the bidding again in which only one stakeholder participated,” Arukh said. “The tender price of `5.50 lakh by the bidder was far less than the upset price, for which the proposal was under consideration of the state government,” the minister added.
He had however said steps are being taken to resume these two services and that tenders in this regard would be floated shortly.
Sources said the Orissa Tourism Development Corporation has also given a proposal to operate these services for increasing tourist footfall.
NZP officials said the ropeway, which would be installed atop the Kanzia lake in the park spread over an area of 134 acres, will be a huge boost to the tourist inflow of the zoo with the toy train service also having a lot of potential in attracting visitors.
“The department was working towards preparation of defined tender documents for these two proposals, to avoid troubles which we had faced in the past for operation of these services. This took time,” said a senior official of the forest and environment department. “Tender documents are ready and have been sent for the government’s nod. We will float the tenders as soon as we get the approval,” the official said.
