SuMo: Government to boost ecotourism facilities at Valmiki Tiger Reserve

  • | Friday | 22nd September, 2017

PATNA: State forest and environment department would launch new ecotourism facilities at Valmiki Tiger Reserve (VTR) in West Champaran and boating facilities in the Ganga from dolphin reserve near Bateshwarsthan to Vikramshila in Bhagalpur district in October. "Apart from a new forest guest house comprising 12 rooms and a dormitory of 80 beds, we would be providing boating facility in the Gandak river. Also, movies would be shown to tourists in the evening and more vehicles would be provided for jungle safari. The number of big cats at VTR is likely to surge to up to 40 as per a recent census conducted by forests department. Old and dilapidated wooden watch towers and guest houses have also been renovated recently.Modi said a 24-seater boat has been purchased for boating from Dolphin reserve at Bateshwarsthan to Vikramshila in Bhagalpur.

PATNA: State forest and environment department would launch new ecotourism facilities at Valmiki Tiger Reserve (VTR) in West Champaran and boating facilities in the Ganga from dolphin reserve near Bateshwarsthan to Vikramshila in Bhagalpur district in October."Apart from a new forest guest house comprising 12 rooms and a dormitory of 80 beds, we would be providing boating facility in the Gandak river. Also, movies would be shown to tourists in the evening and more vehicles would be provided for jungle safari. The road from Bettiah to VTR via Bagaha would also be repaired to make the tiger reserve easily accessible," deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi, who also holds the forests portfolio, said on Thursday. He added around 35,000 tourists had visited VTR last year and the target is to double the number this year.VTR is located about 350km north-west from Patna in the northernmost part of the West Champaran district, bordering Nepal. The number of big cats at VTR is likely to surge to up to 40 as per a recent census conducted by forests department. The third annual census at VTR was completed in March and the final report for the same is still awaited.Tourists have a number of options for lodging at VTR including forest guest houses at Madanpur, Manguraha, Ganauli and Govardhana ranges. Two ecohuts were inaugurated at Kotraha and Madanpur ranges in November 2012. Besides, there are six ecohuts at Gobardhana and Naurangia Don ranges. Old and dilapidated wooden watch towers and guest houses have also been renovated recently.Modi said a 24-seater boat has been purchased for boating from Dolphin reserve at Bateshwarsthan to Vikramshila in Bhagalpur. This stretch of the Ganga is popular for sighting of Gangetic dolphins.The deputy CM said hot water spring, located at the Bhim Bandh in Munger district, would also be developed as a tourist spot and work on development of a jungle safari at Rajgir would be completed soon.

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