Tribune News Service
Haridwar, June 16
The world famous Rajaji National Park has been closed for tourists for almost the next five months, till November 15.
Chila Ranger MS Negi informed that the closure has been ordered due to the approaching monsoon, which leads to clogging of various roads and tracks inside the Park.
Notably, a substantial part of Uttarakhand’s revenue is generated through the tourists visiting Rajaji. In 2008-09, 17,956 tourists visited the Park in a span of eight months. In addition, the Park attracted as many as 1886 foreign tourists this time. The total income generated by the Park authority this year stands at Rs 17,45,730.
Park director SS Rasailly, who has been taking special steps to attract tourists, said: “The park area possesses as many as 23 species of mammals, 315 bird species, 40-odd species of reptiles and fish. It is also home to the Asian elephant (Elephas maximus). We are taking steps to make the park more tourist- friendly and dividends are there for all to see.”
Regarding the reason for closure during the monsoon, Rasailly said due to heavy rains movement inside the Park gets severely affected. “With water-logged roads and muddy terrain, movement inside the Park is very difficult during monsoon.
The area also becomes bushy, which is risky for tourists,” he informed. On the other hand, Chila Ranger MS Negi said during the closure period patrolling would be intensified and a certain route would be followed.
“This will ensure security during the closure period,” he said. Meanwhile, the Jim Corbett National Park was also closed for tourists from yesterday onwards. In addition, a permanent ban on vehicular movement inside the park could be in the offing. After a two-day visit to Corbett that concluded on Sunday, Union Minister of State for Environment and Forests (independent charge) Jairam Ramesh had expressed concern over movement of large number of four-wheelers inside the Park.
