According to a UNI report, the number of tourists to Kaziranga National Park (KNP) in Assam is likely to be restricted soon. While the Park is an important stop in the tourist map of the state and accounts for thousands of visitors annually, the authorities are now mulling to fix the number of visitors into the Park per day/year to protect the ecosystem from over-exposure.
The practice of restricting the number of tourists will be applicable to all other six reserve forests of the state, along with KNP. Besides the number of tourists, access areas within the KNP will also be restricted. Tourist routes will be limited to the outer border so that the animals are not disturbed by human interference.
Suren Buragohain, Director, Kaziranga National Park said, “Unrestricted tourist inflow is a concern. If there is a provision to check their numbers, it will be good for the Park. Tourist facilities like view-points in many of the inner reaches are already being phased out. We have to shift the tourist facilities from core zone to the buffer zone. This will be beneficial for the ecosystem of the Park.”
However, a section of local people, including Park guides and roadside hotel owners are not in favour of the idea. They maintained that restricting the number of tourists will have a negative impact on their business and the thriving local economy built on KNP would face difficulties.
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