New Delhi: The Delhi Assembly is set to adopt a novel and humane approach to tackle the persistent problem of monkeys entering the Vidhan Sabha complex by hiring people trained to mimic langur calls, officials said on Friday.

The move comes in response to frequent incidents of monkeys straying into the Assembly premises, creating safety risks for legislators, staff, and visitors. Monkeys have been seen jumping on wires, dish antennas, and other infrastructure, often causing damage. The Public Works Department (PWD) has floated a tender to deploy personnel capable of imitating the sounds of langurs, which is considered an effective method to scare away monkeys without harming them.

In addition to mimicry, the expert handlers will bring a langur to physically deter monkeys from the area. “There were plans to use langur cutouts earlier, but monkeys no longer get scared of them. Instead, they often sit atop the cutouts,” an official said.

Officials noted that the Assembly had previously employed langur impersonators, but their contract had ended. The new tender aims to hire trained individuals who can reproduce langur calls convincingly. The personnel will be deployed on working days and Saturdays, with each working an eight-hour shift.

The agency responsible for the task will ensure proper equipment, adherence to safety norms, and discipline during operations. Performance-based monitoring will be conducted, and insurance coverage will be provided for all deployed personnel.

This is not the first time monkeys have disrupted proceedings in the Delhi Assembly. In 2017, a monkey entered the House and interrupted a discussion on guest teachers in government schools, highlighting the ongoing challenge of managing the primate population in the area.

The innovative approach reflects the Assembly’s effort to balance safety and humane treatment of animals while maintaining smooth functioning of legislative activities.