Park authorities all set to ban private vehicles in SGNP premises

Park authorities to introduce electric buses for safari is aimed at eliminating pollution in park premises.

@nag228

Mumbai: The Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) administration will soon be introducing eco-friendly buses for ferrying visitors inside the park premises. The park management will soon restrict the entry of the private vehicles only till the park parking space and further visitors have to travel in the eco-friendly electric buses arranged there.

Lockdown period turned to a boom for nature and nature lovers as there was no air pollution, sound pollution and as a result, nature began to flourish and the animals were able to breathe and move freely.

In a bid to keep the Park pollution free and to maintain its natural beauty, the SNGP administration has decided to take various steps.

SGNP Conservator of Forest and Director, G Mallikarjun said that private vehicles will be barred from entering SGNP, Borivali after it opens to tourists. We take the issue of pollution caused by vehicles seriously and from now on private vehicles will be provided in the parking lot set up outside the park. Arrangements have been made to park more than 250 vehicles at a time. In addition, it will focus on increasing its capacity as needed.

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“Ferrying of BEST buses, along with private vehicles, is also being considered for closure. 16 eco-friendly electric buses will be operated under the park for the transportation of tourists. The buses will be provided to the park administration by National High-Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL). The ‘Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train Project’ being set up by the corporation is going through the National Park and Tungareshwar Sanctuary. For this, these 16 buses will be provided under environmental measures”, said Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Wildlife (Western Region), Sunil Limaye

Satellite image of encroachments
Two per cent of the park’s space has been encroached by the tribal. The park administration has decided to take strict measures to prevent encroachment. Satellite imagery will no longer be used for daily assessment of encroachments on the boundaries and interior of the park. Satellite photography will make it easier for the administration to assess new encroachments. The park administration intends to operate the system in the next three months

Outpost camp for the protection of the park
Protection camps will be set up for the protection of the park. This will allow you to keep an eye on the day-to-day running of the park. The help of local people will be sought for this. These outposts will be set up at five places in the park area. This will require some staff and will accommodate local people

Set up of wireless communication system
Park encroachment is also a major problem face by the authority. People staying in forest constantly attack the forest workers who are trying to prevent encroachment. Employees on patrol during such crises have no means of providing information or communicating with their superiors. For this, a wireless communication system will be set up in an area of 104 sq km of the park. This mechanism allows forest workers to communicate with each other. The work will start in the next three months

This has been planned for a long time, but it’s really a good decision because people going inside by their private vehicles go anywhere and they just pollute the environment by putting plastics, garbage and other wastes inside. Often these private vehicles rampaged small animals and reptiles inside the forest. If visitors are allowed inside only by public transport it will be easy for the SNGP staff to keep a watch on people and also the electric buses will not emit smoke or noise, that is really good not only for the animals but for all of us. But like always BEST buses should be allowed as visitors get direct connectivity,” said environmentalist, Anand Pendharkar.

Another environmentalist Zoru Bhathena said, “It’s really a good decision as any kind of pollution is bad for each and every living being. Restricting private vehicles will also reduce various crimes committed inside the forest. Many times, private vehicles drive recklessly and run over animals, snakes etc.