Express train may be named after Orissa zoo

An express train running between the temple town of Puri and New Delhi may soon be named after the famous zoo, which will be celebrating its golden jubilee next month.

A letter in this regard has already been sent by the Orissa government to the Railway Ministry.

“The chief minister has already written to Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee to name the Puri-New Delhi Express after the Nandankanan Zoo. As the train does not have a name, it should not be a problem for the ministry to accept our proposal. It will be an honour for the zoo in its golden jubilee year,” highly placed government sources said here on Sunday.
If the Railway Ministry accepts the Orissa government’s proposal, Nandankanan will be first zoo in the country to have this kind of an honour.

The Orissa zoo which was established in 1960 has 1,200 animals belonging to 98 species. The zoological park has also been awarded with the centre of excellence status by the Central Zoo Authority.

The zoo has also earned a name for itself as a major captive breeding centre for white tigers, vultures and pangolin. The zoo will soon start an in-house breeding programme for mouse dear and water monitor lizards.

The state government strongly believes that if a popular express train will be named after the zoo then it will provide an excellent platform to the zoological park to showcase itself across the country. Now, the zoo plays host to more than two million tourists every year.