Surat Municipal Corporation’s Sarthana Nature Park emerged as a major attraction during the summer vacation, drawing more than 1.09 lakh visitors in just 34 days and generating revenue of over 30 lakh.
According to municipal data, a total of 1,09,189 people visited the Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Zoological Garden and Nature Park between May 4 and June 7. The influx of visitors helped the civic body earn ₹30.08 lakh through ticket sales and other charges.
The nature park, developed to promote environmental awareness and educate visitors about wildlife, houses 128 animals from 24 species, 294 birds from 27 species and 61 reptiles from five species. Besides attracting residents of Surat, the park also received visitors from other parts of South Gujarat during the vacation period.
Officials said the final week of the summer break, especially the last Sunday before schools reopened, witnessed the highest footfall. Long queues were seen at ticket counters and major exhibits throughout the day.
However, the growing popularity of the park has also highlighted staffing challenges. Employees responsible for ticketing, animal care, visitor assistance and security reportedly had to work under considerable pressure due to a shortage of manpower.
Meanwhile, Surat’s aquarium at Pal, another popular family destination during vacations, remained closed this year as well because of ongoing repair work linked to construction-related issues. As a result, many families who had hoped to visit the facility were left disappointed.
With the aquarium unavailable, a significant share of the holiday crowd was directed towards Sarthana Nature Park, further boosting visitor numbers at the zoo and nature park during the summer vacation.