Forest Department will introduce online booking for all identified trekking circuits in Karnataka, says Eshwar Khandre

Minister Khandre announces online booking for trekking circuits in Karnataka to manage rush and protect environment.

Minister for Forest, Environment, and Ecology Eshwar B. Khandre on Tuesday, July 2, said the department will introduce online booking for all the identified trekking circuits in the State shortly.

Speaking to presspersons here, Mr. Khandre recalled the mad rush witnessed at the Kumara Parvatha trekking circuit on January 26, the Republic Day, near Kukke Subrahmanya. He said the trekking activities that were stopped following the Kumara Parvatha incident would resume from August.

The Minister said entry to any trekking circuit was denied during the monsoon for various reasons. The reasons include unsafe conditions during the rainy season, preventing damage to the flora that germinate during the season etc. Therefore, trekking would be permitted from August, he said.

Mr. Khandre said the tourism wing of the department was managing various trekking circuits in the State. Online booking was available for Kudremukh, Netravathi, Kodachadri, Kurinjal, Gangadikal, and Narasimha Parvatha peaks.

Online booking however was not available for circuits including Ettina Bhuja. As such, the department would bring all trekking circuits under one website and make provisions for online booking. Online booking through a single website would enable trekking enthusiasts to look for another circuit if they do not get a booking in one particular circuit, Mr. Khandre said.

The Minister noted that some tour operators were creating undue interest among the youth about trekking circuits as a result of which heavy rush was being witnessed during weekends. This also leads to the accumulation of plastic trash and damage to the environment. Some stringent measures were required to be taken to protect the environment and ecology.

Therefore, the department has decided to limit the number of trekkers for a particular circuit based on its length, availability of guides, and other basic amenities. Technology would be deployed to ensure the number of trekkers would not exceed the prescribed limit for any reason. If the department receives complaints about presence of excess trekkers in any circuit, it would conduct a third party inspection.