Health freaks visiting Sanjay Gandhi Biological Park every morning would soon be restricted to a small portion of the zoo, so that they do not disturb the animals.

Sources at the Sanjay Gandhi Biological Park said Central Zoo Authority (CZA), after a meeting with the Patna zoo authorities, has given its nod to the plan of confining morning walkers to 34 acre of the total 153 acre over which the facility is spread.

At present, anyone willing to take a stroll in the morning is allowed to enter the zoo premises without paying any entry fee at 5am. The gates remain open for such visitors till 7.45 in the morning.

The happy hours may soon be withdrawn, though.

Abhay Kumar, the director of Sanjay Gandhi Biological Park, told The Telegraph on Thursday: “CZA has given its approval to the master plan for Patna zoo. Among other things, the plan envisages restricting morning walkers to botanical areas. They would be prevented from entering areas earmarked for the animals. We do not want anybody to disturb the animals and birds.”

He added: “We shall now prepare a detailed report against the approved master plan.”

The approval from the central body came after senior CZA officers visited the Patna zoo on May 27 and 28.

Earlier, the zoo authorities had submitted a draft of the master plan for a 10-year period for an estimated cost of Rs 29.58 crore. It was returned with several suggestions.

Every zoo is required to have a master plan for proposed development in the coming 10 or 20 years. The Patna zoo plan expired in 2010.

The approved master plan envisages the entry of visitors through only one gate. At present, visitors are to enter the zoo from both the gates.

On Thursday, the Patna zoo authorities also awarded the work for installation of automated entry gates to a private firm, which also installed a similar facility at Nandankanan Zoological Park, Bhubaneswar.

“The firm has been given two months’ time to make the system operational. It will install 10 electronic machines,” said Abhay.

The approved master plan also envisages development of a new lake in the zoo as a wetland for migratory birds. The existing nocturnal house would also be made functional. The veterinary hospital in the zoo would be developed into wildlife and botanical library.

The plan also suggests for theme-based housing of the animals. They would be separated into carnivores, herbivores, large herbivores, aviary, exotic species and canine and put in enclosures accordingly. All enclosures would also have naturalistic look and camouflage effect.