Bhubaneswar, Dec. 29: Authorities of the Nandankanan Zoological Park today introduced online ticket booking system for visitors.

Tourists can also book online tickets for picnic sheds, rest houses and cottages in the state botanical garden by logging in to www.nandankanan.org.

The authorities said the move aimed to create cashless transactions and save money spent in printing of tickets.

"An additional amount of Rs 2 will be levied on each entry ticket purchased thorough debit or credit cards. The online tickets for other reservations, except those for zoo entry, can be purchased a month in advance. The tickets booked online cannot be cancelled," said zoo director Sisir Kumar Acharya.

Zoo officials said the initiative would help them save Rs 10 lakh annually. "While the maintenance of online booking system will cost around Rs 3.5 lakh, the printing of tickets used to cost Rs 14 lakh annually," said an official. The zoo has also roped in with a bank to provide the visitors with the facilities of swapping machines at the counters.

The zoo today put the wild tiger, which had ventured on its own to the zoo in April 2013 for public view. Besides two normal coloured male cubs born to the wild tiger and tigress Megha were also kept in exhibition with their mother.