BARIPADA: With just a day left for reopening of Similipal national park for tourists, residents of Jashipur on Friday staged a blockade near Kalikaprasad entry point demanding repair of road and improvement of mobile network in the park premises for the visitors.
The Similipal national park is scheduled to be reopened on Saturday. The protesters locked the Kalikaprasad entry point alleging that they had apprised the Forest and Tourism departments as well as district administration on these issues in the past but in vain.
Jashipur MLA Ganesh Ram Singh Khuntia, one among the agitators, complained that the road between Kalikaprasad entry point and Gada Similipal was in bad shape which posed risk for visitors. The wooden bridge inside the park was in a dilapidated condition and must be replaced by a concrete bridge to facilitate smooth movement of tourist vehicles. “Besides, due to non-availability of mobile network, neither the staff of the national park nor tourists could communicate through mobile phones,” he rued.
Meanwhile, official sources informed that the authorities have already floated tenders and the said road is being repaired. Condition of the wooden bridge is good and the tourist vehicles can pass through the route safely.
Field director of STR Prakash Chand Gogineni said tourists would enter through the said gate as usual on Saturday. The department has asked local police to facilitate smooth entry of tourists through the gate.