The closed bridge at Patna zoo. Picture by Deepak Kumar

Patna, Aug. 31: A small, wooden suspension bridge inside Patna zoo has been closed to visitors for the past three weeks as most of its steel cables have worn out.

Lakshman Jhula, as it is commonly called, is over 30 years old. Zoo sources said the bridge was closed for repairs and would reopen a fortnight later. “Keeping the bridge open to visitors was not safe anymore. A firm was selected recently to replace the worn-out cables. Their representatives took the bridge’s measurements and are expected to replace the cables within a fortnight,” said a senior officer at Patna zoo.

Lakshman Jhula is located near the giraffe enclosure across the old lake at Patna zoo. The bridge is a favourite with kids and youngsters. “My five-year-old daughter loves to walk and play on the bridge. I can’t recall an occasion when we went to the zoo and she did not play on the bridge,” said Neha Srivastava, a resident of Gola Road.

Joggers at the zoo are unhappy with the bridge’s temporary closure. “I used to start my morning walk from Gate number 2, go south towards the lake and cross the Lakshman Jhula. However, now I have to take a long route passing through the canteen to cross the lake and walk further towards the elephant enclosure in the extreme south-west end of the zoo,” said Kumar Pratyush, a resident of Shashtri Nagar.

Several others are missing their favourite place for a photo shoot at the zoo. “The Lakhsman Jhula offers a scenic spot for photographs. I have numerous photographs with my friends there. I had gone to the zoo last week but could not find another spot as picturesque,” said Boring Road resident Riya Upadhyay.