Online booking of tickets for all treks: Eshwara Khandre

Bengaluru: There are ample opportunities for eco-tourism in the state. However, it is the government’s concern that the environment should not be harmed, and Forest, Ecology and Environment Minister Eshwara B Khandre has said that only a maximum of 300 trekkers will be allowed on all trekking paths in the state.

Launching the website aranyavihaara.karnataka.gov.in which allows online booking of trek tickets at Vikasa Soudha, he said that on January 26 and 27, there was confusion in the backdrop of the arrival of 5-6000 tourists to Kumara Parvata in a single day. He said that a limit has been imposed on the number of trekkers to eliminate such confusion.

Ticket booking for all state trekking paths has also been provided on this website. So that those who don’t get tickets for one trek path on a particular day can choose another trek path. At present tickets can be booked only for 5 destinations i.e. Kumara Parvata to Subrahmanya, Bidahalli – Kumara Parvata, Bidahalli – Kumara Parvata – Subrahmanya, Chamarajanagara – Nagamalai, Talakaveri – Nishani Motte trekking destinations only. By the end of this month, 40 trekking paths will be added to this website. Apart from this, it will also be allowed to book tickets for wildlife safari and boat safari, he said.

Advance booking of 10 tickets will be allowed on one phone number, full refund if cancelled a week before. He said that for later cancellations, the full amount will not be paid, but a partial deduction will be made. A picture of various trekking paths of the state along with brief information about their specialty is provided on the website. It also provides information to trekkers and tourists. It will also be possible to book the ticket in advance, he said.

Trekking during monsoon is not advisable. Inexperienced trekkers are at risk of slipping and falling. In addition, insects and animals will also suffer. Thus, Eshwar Khandre said that one of the reasons was the restriction of trekking during rainy season.

Curb on illegality:

Some of the private trekking organizations buy tickets for these trekking paths in bulk. Hence there have been complaints that genuine trekkers are not getting tickets. In this backdrop, arrangements have been made to upload PAN card, driving license and government photo ID card and book the ticket, he said.

Guide facility:

Guides will be assigned for every 10-20 trekkers to provide information about the flora, fauna, insects, birds and brief history of the area and what precautions should be taken during the trek.

EshwaraKhandre said that an investigation has been ordered and some staff have been suspended following complaints that some staff were involved with private tourism organizations to block tickets online at the Skandagiri trek in Chikkaballapur, which was managed by the Ecotourism Department, which is part of the Forest Department. Few are going on trek using fake tickets.

There is also an allegation that the staff are making fake tickets and allowing the trekkers to enter in some trekking paths, for this a vigilance squad will be formed as in KSRTC. This squad team will go to the trekking paths unexpectedly and carry out inspection. Action will be taken if fake tickets are found, he said.

Plastic ban – 2 stage check:

Plastic water bottle, carry bag, snack pack etc. will be banned while traveling on trek and forest road. Motorists traveling in the forest and trekkers will be told to put the prohibited material in the auto dustbin in the first instance. Inspection will be conducted in 2nd phase. EshwaraKhandre warned that if plastic bottle, carry bag, liquor bottle, cigarette, firebox etc. are found during inspection, fine will be imposed.