: The toy train that has remained stationed at the Coimbatore Corporation V.O.C. Park Zoo could soon be running on track, perhaps at a new location.
Efforts are on to repair and resume the toy train services, N. Malathi, chairperson, Corporation Committee on Education, Parks and Playfields., said
During her visit to the Zoo a few days ago she found the train stationed without maintenance. The seats were damaged, compartments unfit for people to get in and the engine was out of use for long.
Her enquiries with the officials there revealed that it had been at least a few years since the Corporation had halted the toy train, which once used to take visitors to the Zoo on a joy ride near the eastern compound wall, Ms. Malathi said.
The Corporation sources said the civic body had stopped the train after animal rights activists had raised objection to the running of train near cages. Their argument was that the sound of the running train disturbed the animals in enclosures and therefore the civic body should stop the toy train service.
This was much more the COVID-19 pandemic and since then the toy train was out of action.
After the chairperson’s visit, the sources said engineers were assessing what needed to be done to get the train back on track and explore the possibility of operating the train at the nearby V.O.C. Park.
Running the train in the Park would not disturb the animals. The new location could add to the attraction at the Park, which would see high footfalls this summer during school holidays.
If the V.O.C. Park turned out to be a not so ideal location for the toy train, the Corporation could look at operating it at the children’s park, Ms. Malathi added.
