Regulars at the Museum grounds are looking forward to November 20, when a renovation project on its premises will be inaugurated.
For weeks, a chunk of lush green space had been cordoned off for maintenance and landscaping work by Kerala Land Development Corporation Ltd.
Fountains are being constructed along the stairs leading up to Napier Museum. A rock garden is also being set up at the corner of the park near the gate opposite the Corporation office.
The grass that carpets the gardens too is being changed. Korean grass that demands more time and effort to be maintained will be replaced by the more resilient Buffalo grass.
“Buffalo grass does not require chemicals to keep out pests and it thrives in this climate,” a zoo official said.
Plan dropped
Following objections raised by environmental activists led by poet B. Sugathakumari in July this year, the plan to construct a pathway around the area as part of the project was dropped.
The Museums and Zoo Department will also launch an automated ticket-vending kiosk on the premises that day.
“Presently, visitors purchase tickets to the zoo, Sree Chitra Art Gallery, Natural History Museum, and Napier Museum at different counters. The touch-screens at the kiosks are easy to use. Visitors can select their destination, make payment, and receive a printout of the ticket at the one-stop facility,” said Zoo Director B. Joseph.
The facility, developed by the Centre for Development of Imaging Technology, will be set up at both entrances of the Museum grounds. The second phase of installing surveillance cameras, adding to the present number of 46, is also expected to begin by this month end.
This will cover all the enclosures in the zoo and few areas around the museums and the top gardens.
