Kaziranga National Park to reopen for tourists from October 21

Guwahati: Much to the relief of tourists as well as people whose livelihoods depend on the Kaziranga National Park, the world heritage site of Assam is all set to open for visitors from October 21.

As per reports, Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal is scheduled to attend the reopening ceremony of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, the home to the world famous one-horned rhino.

While speaking to media, KNP director P Shivkumar informed that jeep safari will start in Kohora and Bagori Range but with 50 per cent capacity. The same rules would apply for elephant rides too.

Forest officials also informed that wearing face mask and face shield shall be mandatory for the tourists, KNP staff including jeep drivers, guides and other forest employees.

KNP director also added social distancing must be maintained by the tourists while entering the park.

KNP Director further said that the National Tiger Conservation Authority has already issued the set of guidelines to all national parks that shall be uniformly followed all across the nation.

According to Assam tourism department, around 90% of the foreign tourists visiting the state visit Kaziranga National Park.

Due to COVID and the lockdown businesses were severely hurt. But now with the news of the Park scheduled to open from October 21, most of the tour operator, cab drivers, lodge and resort operators seem to be heaving a sigh of relief.

KNP director Sivakumar also informed that persons aged below 10 and above 65 shall not be allowed in and all vehicles entering the park shall be sanitized at the check gates.

"In case any individual has a temperature higher than normal, he/shall be immediately isolated in a dedicated room identified for this purpose and evacuated to the nearest health facility by a team and vehicle kept for the purpose,"Sivakumar told The Sentinel Digital.

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