Patna, April 26: Fitness freaks today took out a precession and staged a dharna in front of the second gate of Sanjay Gandhi Biological Park in protest against the decision of the zoo authorities to introduce passes for morning-walkers.

Several people, including politicians and bureaucrats, actively participated in the demonstration. They demanded free entry to those parts of the zoo where there are no animal enclosures.

A regular morning-walker at zoo for the past 41 years, the RJD’s state unit chief Ram Chandra Purbey said: “I support this protest because the ban on morning-walkers is not required at all. There are various other issues that need to be addressed by the zoo authorities. The planes flying over the zoo and the toy train inside it also make substantial noise,” Purbey said.

He suggested making the animal enclosures “protected area” and allow fitness freaks to stroll in the rest of the zoo, which is about 60 per cent of its total area.

Ranjita Sinha, a resident Bailey Road and a daily walker at the zoo, said: “There are few green patches in Patna and this is the best one. The citizens must be allowed to reap its benefits. We should be allowed to breath in fresh air while walking in the early morning.”

A few supported the introduction of passes but were against the complete ban on the entry of morning-walkers to the zoo.

“I believe regulation on entry to the zoo is required for protection and safety of wildlife. Entry fee will reduce the morning crowd for sure. It will also protect serious walkers from rowdies,” P.N. Narayanan, the state information commissioner, said.