MYSURU: Two decades after sandalwood smuggler Veerappan’s death, the Forest department is keen to tap tourism potential of the forests, and will soon start a safari from Hoggenekal falls on the Tamil Nadu-Karnataka border.
The department, that has started a safari from Gopinathan, the native village of Veerappan, has registered high demand from tourists for ‘brigand tourism’.
The safari will cover 22 kilometres of forest, particularly Veerappan’s hideouts in Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary, which has a high destiny of elephants, sambar, deer, bears and other wildlife.
However, authorities at Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary wanted to start the safari from Hoggenekal, a favourite destination with tourists on both sides of the border, especially for boating in the river Cauvery and traditional fish dishes.
The department plans four trips - two in the morning and two in the evening - with a carrying capacity of 25 in two vehicles. They have placed an order for new safari vehicles that will cover deep inside the forest. It has also opened tent cottages in Gopinatham for accommodation, and the increased flow of tourists has made villagers open home stays and rent out rooms in their homes.
Hoggenekal falls attracted 3,500 tourists in January 2024, and 9,381 tourists in March, with about 1,400 foreign tourists visiting prominent tourist spots in the district. The forest authorities want to tap local and foreign tourists, which will contribute to the local economy and generate direct and indirect employment.
The new safari in Hoggenekal will be the sixth, after Bandipur, K Gudi, PG Palya, Ajjipura and Gopinatham. Lakhs of tourists visiting MM Hills temple can also avail of facilities that will give a major boost to the local economy.