Nagpur: The city’s only zoo and a major tourist attraction, Maharajbagh Zoo, is facing the threat of closure amid serious concerns over visitor safety, acute manpower shortage and deteriorating animal enclosures.The alarming situation came to light after the zoo’s in-charge officer, Sunil Bawaskar, sent a strongly worded letter to Dr Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth (PDKV), which operates the facility through the College of Agriculture Nagpur. Notably, PDKV is the only agricultural university in the country that runs a zoo.In the letter, sent on March 10, Bawaskar warned that continued neglect and dilapidated infrastructure at the zoo have created a serious safety risk for both visitors and staff, prompting what insiders described as an SOS call to the university administration.Despite being a major revenue earner — generating more than ₹2 crore annually — the zoo is grappling with operational issues. Insiders alleged that a large portion of this income is diverted towards maintenance of other gardens run by the university, leaving the zoo struggling with inadequate funds for upkeep.The communication highlights several pending proposals, including urgent repair of the tiger enclosure, which reportedly suffered structural damage. Officials fear that faulty enclosures could pose risks of injury to animals or even potential escape.Another major concern is the absence of protective mesh around animal cages. The proposal gained urgency after a tiger at the zoo reportedly died following a snake bite, raising fears that venomous reptiles could enter enclosures or pose a danger to visitors through cage gaps.The letter also points to a severe shortage of staff. With no permanent workforce and proposals to appoint contractual workers still pending, routine cleaning, monitoring and maintenance has become difficult, increasing safety risks for both wildlife and spectators.Warning that the situation could lead to “serious accidents,” the officer indicated that authorities might have to close the zoo to visitors until the pending proposals are cleared and necessary safety measures are implemented.College of Agriculture Dean Prakash Kadu said the issues are being addressed. “The repair of cages and enclosures is being taken up by the engineering department, and the work will be completed soon. We will also appoint contractual manpower soon. The Central Zoo Authority has already granted recognition to the zoo till 2029,” Kadu said. He added that visitor amenities at the zoo would also be upgraded in the coming months.BOX MONEY SPINNER,YET NEGLECTEDMaharajbagh Zoo generates annual income of around ₹2 crore while the annual maintenance expenditure is about ₹1.3 crore. Despite generating a surplus amount, the zoo remains in a state of neglectSAFETY ISSUES FLAGGED* Damaged Tiger Enclosure: The broken tiger enclosure poses a risk of injury to animals and raises fears of a possible escape if repairs are not undertaken urgently* Snake Threat Near Cages: A tiger reportedly died after a snake bite, prompting a proposal to install protective mesh around enclosures to prevent entry of venomous reptiles and ensure visitor safety* Acute Staff Shortage: Lack of permanent or contractual staff affecting cleaning, monitoring and routine maintenance, increasing risks for both animals and visitors* Accident Risk: The zoo in-charge warned that administrative delays could lead to serious accidents and threaten the safety of the visiting public
