CHAMARAJANAGAR: While the Bandipur and Nagarahole Tiger reserves have time-based apps to track people entering and exiting, and their speed, Biligiri Rangaswamy Temple (BRT) Tiger Reserve uses a different method. The app, developed by forest officials, has been designed to keep a check on the number of tourist vehicles entering and exiting, and the number of visitors passing through the check posts. They track visitors and tourists by scanning the QR code printed on the ticket.
“Unlike other tiger reserves, BRT gets a lot more tourists and that too not just for the forests, but for the temple as well. So the app was custom designed as well,” Dr Santoshkumar G, BRT Tiger Reserve Director told The New Indian Express. Trials for the app started last week and it will be officially launched in January next year.
Santoshkumar explained that at the entrance, the vehicle number, number of people in the vehicle, purpose of visit and time of entry are noted. The same are matched at the exit point and an excel sheet is generated daily. While scanning the QR code, the details noted at the entry point are displayed at the exit gate. If there is a mismatch, then a penalty of Rs 1,000 is imposed.
He added that during the trial itself, many people had been penalised. He said that a list had been prepared of locals and tribals staying inside the reserve’s boundaries. A sticker is given to each of their vehicles for identification. Their details will not be noted on daily basis.Another senior forest official said that while the speed limit cannot be gauged in real time, a rough estimate has been made on how much time a vehicle takes between two gates.
If there is a difference between the scheduled and actual time, the driver is booked. They also verify that those who have registered are staying at the listed properties.
Previous venues
March 27-29, 2015
Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary
January 8-9, 2016
Kali Tiger Reserve
January 5-7, 2017
Daroji Sloth Bear
Sanctuary, Ballari
February 9-11, 2018
Pilikula Nisargadhama, Mangaluru
February 8-10, 2019
Bidar January 17-19, 2020
Nandi Hills