BARIPADA: Similipal National Park recorded a footfall of 176 tourists after the sanctuary reopened on Tuesday.While 133 tourists along with 25 vehicles entered the park from Pithabata under Baripada territorial forest division, 43 along with eight vehicles entered from Kaliani in Jashipur block on the day. The Forest department is allowing entry of tourists into the park from the two gates only as of now.
The park remains closed for tourists from mid-June just before monsoon to facilitate mating of wild animals and reopens from the first week of November, said regional chief conservator of forest (RCCF) and field director of Similipal Tiger Reserve(STR) T Ashok Kumar. Forest staff have been deployed in the park to facilitate smooth movement of tourist vehicles. The roads within the park have been repaired and tourists can book night stays online through www.ecotourodisha.com, he said.
A few restrictions have been imposed on tourists and they are not allowed to carry polythene bags, alcohol and other plastic items into the park. While entry into the park is allowed between 6 am and 9 am, tourists are required to leave the park from Barehipani and Jaranda before 3 pm and from Chahala before 4 pm.
The RCCF said as many as 43,358 tourists visited the park last year generating revenue of `2.35 crore.