LUCKNOW: The Uttar Pradesh government is set to introduce its first tiger reserve in western UP to visitors, with the Amangarh Tiger Reserve (ATR) likely to open for tourists in mid-November. Despite being in existence, ATR, located in Bijnor district, wasn’t open to tourists so far. However, in a bid to promote ecotourism, the state government is looking at the reserved forest as an alternative to Jim Corbett National Park (JCNP).
The main motive behind this deliberation is to attract tourists from New Delhi and the National Capital Region, since the tiger reserve is situated closer to the area.ATR, which is an extension of and buffer to JCNP, houses tigers, leopards and elephants, among other wild animals.
According to Bareilly zone Chief Forest Conservator Lalit Verma, ATR will also create employment opportunities for the local residents as those with an interest in wildlife will be inducted as tourist guides. Verma added that a batch of youth has already been trained as guides, and jeeps would also be registered for wildlife safaris.
Corbett was a part of UP before Uttarakhand was carved out in 2000, and JCNP was included in the hill state. In 2012, around 95 sq. km area of UP adjacent to JCNP was notified as a tiger reserve by the then state government. This area was also earlier a part of JCNP. Uttar Pradesh has two more tiger reserves — Dudhwa and Pilibhit.
ATR would also ease off the pressure from JCNP due to high foot fall of tourists from across the country, Verma added. The reserve is internally connected to the JCNP jungles. A drive inside the forest leads to the Jhirna range of JCNP.