Good response to Forest Department’s van service to Kurumbapatti zoo in Salem

Forest Dept. introduced van service b/w Gorimedu-Kurumbapatti Zoo. Public responded positively, but auto drivers affected. Van service charges ₹20 for adults, ₹10 for 6-13 yrs & free for

The van service introduced by the Forest Department between Gorimedu and Kurumbapatti Zoological Park has received good response from the public. However, the local autorickshaw drivers say that their livelihood is affected.

For the benefit of tourists and local people visiting Kurumbapatti Zoological Park, the Forest Department introduced two van services from Gorimedu to the zoo from July 20. The department fixed ₹20 for adults as ticket charge. For children aged between 6 and 13, the cost is ₹10, and for children aged below six, the van service is free.

The distance between Gorimedu and Kurumbapatti Park is five kilometres, and there is bus service at particular timings in the morning and evening. So, tourists and visitors who are coming to the park are to get autos from Gorimedu, which charges ₹150 to ₹200. As the van service was available for just ₹20, people preferred the van service instead of autos.

On behalf of auto drivers, they submitted a petition to the Deputy Commissioner (Transport) on Monday. They said that for the past 25 years, they had been running autos from the Gorimedu auto stand. But for the past ten days, the Forest Department had parked their van near the stand and picked up tourists. The van also picked up people at MGR Nagar, NGGO colony, and Telephone colony on the way to the park. This affected their livelihood severely. They appealed to the Transport Department to regulate the van service.

Forest officials said they had placed a board at Gorimedu and at the park regarding the van service. There were no schedules for the van. If they got 10 passengers, the van would move from Gorimedu or the park. During weekends, more tourists used the van. Based on the response from the tourists, they planned to operate the van service every hour in the future. :As we provide the van service for a nominal price, people prefer our service,” the officials added.