Sanjay Gandhi Jaivik Udyan-Patna, exotic varieties of fauna and flora

Sanjay Gandhi Jaivik Udyan (also known as Sanjay Gandhi Botanical and Zoological Garden or Patna Zoo) is located near Bailey Road in Patna, Bihar, The park was opened to the public as a zoo in 1973, and is one of the largest zoos in South Asia

The Sanjay Gandhi Biological Park is a popular rendezvous with morning walkers and for picnickers and New Year revellers, it remains the first choice. With its exotic varieties of fauna and flora, the park is also a paradise for fitness freaks, professionals and homemakers.
Patnaites not only throng the park everyday early in the morning for a walk but also wander through it and often marvel at the existing biodiversity.
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Incidentally, the Sanjay Gandhi Biological Park is the only zoo in the country that permits morning walkers on its premises. Everyday the park gate opens at 5am for the walkers and remains open till 7.45am.
"With the opening of the Eco Park, many morning walkers now prefer to take a stroll there. However, in this intense summer, the zoo is still the preferred destination because of the shade which the tall trees give," said a bank official, Animesh Sinha.
The Central Zoo Authority (CZA), however, in repeated communications to the state government, has said that since no other zoo in the country allows morning walkers, the Patna zoo should also be kept free of walkers. Even the state environment and forest department proposed to rid the park of morning visitors. The CZA has also asked the park authorities to ban the entry of joggers around animal enclosures.
The suggestion was given during the visit of a high-level technical team of CZA to the park. The team comprised B S Bonal, member-secretary of CZA, and S K Patnaik, zonal head (east) of CZA, among others. "The authorities were basically here to discuss the master plan for the development of the Patna zoo in the next 10 years (2012- 2022) and they had suggested 42 points, on the basis of which authorities in Patna have prepared a final plan layout and submitted the same to the CZA," said zoo director, Abhay Kumar.
The team, in its suggestions, had asked the zoo authorities to restrict morning strolls to the botanical areas and provide certain amenities, including jogging tracks, exercise equipment and lavatories among others, for the convenience of the walkers. Zoo director Abhay Kumar said the member-secretary of CZA had strongly opposed the morning walkers venturing into the animal areas.
The team also directed the zoo authorities to allow the entry of visitors from only one gate, which is again according to CZA norms.
The proposed master plan, estimated to cost Rs 30 crore, includes construction of a rhino range, creation of naturalistic animal enclosures, enhancement of the existing ones, interpretation centre, redevelopment of zoo infrastructure and additions to public amenities. "A meet is scheduled to be held on June 22, in which the details will be finalized," said the zoo director.