Safari gates to be shifted to reduce congestion at Nagarahole

 With the aim of reducing traffic congestion on the road cutting across Nagarahole Tiger Reserve (NTR), the Karnataka Forest Department has decided to close the safari from Nagarahole and start it from Veeranahosahalli gate and Nanachi Gate.

S Manikandan, director, NTR, told DH that infrastructure work is being completed at the two entrances.

The idea is to decongest traffic on the road besides shifting the increasing number of tourists from one gate. The safari point was earlier near the guest house.

Tourists coming from Mysuru Road side can take safari from Veeranahosahalli and those coming from Kodagu can board the safari vehicles from Nanachi Gate. Manikandan said that according to the tiger conservation plan, the department wants to shift safari areas to the periphery. However, the tourism zone and routes will remain the same for 20 km.

NTR has six gates — Veeranahosahalli, Nanachi, Kallathi, Karamodu, Udbur and Bavali. Traffic from each gate is around 800 to 900 vehicles per day. All this will be studied and divided.

The safari duration could be down by 30 minutes while the travel time by road will increase. For instance, tourists boarding the bus from Veeranahosahalli will reach Nagarhole in 45 minutes by the tar road and the safari duration will be two-and-a-half hours instead of three hours, explained another forest department official.

App to track vehicles
The department has introduced an app through which the staff checks the entry and exit of all vehicles passing through the gates and safari routes. Manikandan said that through this, the staff will keep track of all vehicles — private, government and those of Jungle Lodges and Resorts — entering and exiting the tiger reserve. The time taken by safari vehicles will also be monitored and those exceeding time limit will be booked.
This app is already being used in the Kali Tiger Reserve.