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Corbett to reopen Bijrani zone on October 15, Dhikala on November 15
Dhikala, Bijrani, Pakhro, Jhirna, Durga Devi, Dhela and Garjiya are the seven zones in the Corbett tiger reserve
The Bijrani zone of Corbett tiger reserve will reopen for jungle safari and night stay on October 15 as per schedule, and online bookings have already begun, a senior official said on Tuesday.
“Preparations are on to reopen Bijrani and Dhikala zones on October 15 and November 15, respectively, as per schedule. Both have night stay facilities. Damaged roads will be repaired and other necessary arrangements will be made before the season starts,” Dheeraj Pandey, director of the Corbett tiger reserve (CTR), said.
Dhikala, Bijrani, Pakhro, Jhirna, Durga Devi, Dhela and Garjiya are the seven zones in CTR. Garjiya, Jhirna and Dhela are already open for day visits, but tourists prefer to visit Dhikala and Bijrani, said an official.
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Corbett witnessed a footfall of 277,000 in 2021-22, and the administration collected ₹10.59 crore in revenue from tourists. In 2019-20, 287,324 Indians and 6,813 foreigners visited the reserve, contributing ₹10.42 crore in revenue. In 2020-21, 203,719 Indians and only 377 foreigners visited the tiger reserve, officials informed.
“The reopening of CTR brings smiles on the faces of resort owners, tour operators, drivers, guides, even Corbett officials. Traders and hoteliers of Ramnagar seem happy as they are also based on Corbett’s tourism,” Raju Verma, a Ramnagar-based social activist, said.
Before the Covid-19 pandemic, Corbett would get around 10,000 foreign tourists on average.
The Corbett reserve, spread across 1,288 square km, is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Uttarakhand. There are 250 tigers living in the reserve, and around 360 gypsy owners offer jungle safaris.
