The Tamil Nadu Forest Department will offer free entry to visitors at three zoological parks across the state on June 21 and 22 to mark Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay's 52nd birthday. The initiative will cover the Arignar Anna Zoological Park in Vandalur, Amirthi Zoological Park in Vellore district and Kurumbapatti Zoological Park in Salem district, with visitors required to register online to avail of the facility.

Announcing the initiative, Forest Minister R.V. Ranjithkumar said the entire cost of the free-entry programme would be borne by his family trust. He estimated the expenditure at around Rs 1 crore and assured that the Vandalur zoo would not incur any financial losses as a result of the scheme. The minister also said he would personally oversee the arrangements to ensure smooth implementation.

The announcement has sparked concerns among wildlife enthusiasts and zoo officials about the possibility of overcrowding, particularly at the Vandalur zoo, which is expected to attract a large number of visitors during the two-day period. Experts have pointed out that while the zoo has previously handled peak footfalls of around 60,000 visitors during holiday seasons, its estimated carrying capacity is approximately 15,000 people at any given time. Excessive crowds, they warn, could affect visitor safety as well as animal welfare, especially during the summer season.

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Responding to these concerns, Ranjithkumar said the department had already planned crowd-management measures. He stated that online ticket registrations at the Vandalur zoo would be capped at 50,000 per day. Visitors seeking entry through ticket counters would be allowed only based on the number of people already present inside the zoo, helping regulate overall footfall.

Officials are also working on additional arrangements ahead of the expected surge in visitors. According to sources, a meeting involving Chief Wildlife Warden Rakesh Kumar Dogra and other officials has been scheduled at the Vandalur zoo to finalise operational plans and prevent any untoward incidents, particularly on June 22 when attendance is expected to be at its highest.

The Children's Park at Guindy has been excluded from the free-entry initiative due to limited space and concerns about overcrowding. In addition to the zoo programme, the Forest Department will conduct a large-scale tree plantation drive as part of the birthday celebrations, with around 52,000 saplings slated to be planted across Kancheepuram district on June 22.

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