Tourism and infrastructure minister G Janardhan Reddy put his foot in his mouth on Friday by saying that heli-tourism will start by next month and the work on Bannerghatta night safari will start in two weeks.
In a hurry to draw tourists and investors to the state, tourism and infrastructure minister G Janardhan Reddy put his foot in his mouth on Friday by saying that heli-tourism will start by next month and the work on Bannerghatta night safari will start in two weeks.
The overly enthusiastic minister, impressed by the speech of Karnataka chief secretary SV Ranganath, did not seem to remember that a case was still pending in the high court against the proposal for a night safari in Bannerghatta and that rain had wrecked most parts of north Karnataka where the heritage circuit of the heli-tourism was being planned.
“Work on the night safari will start in one or two weeks and the heritage circuit of heli-tourism will start in September. So far, there are only six places in the world where there is night safari and Bangalore’s safari will be one of the best,’’ Reddy said.
He was addressing participants at a two-day conference, ‘Conventions India Conclave — 2010’. This was the 6th MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Events) conclave organised by India Convention Promotion Bureau in the city.
It will cost Rs180 crore to implement the five-year-old night safari proposal. The matter is still in the high court, which has reserved its verdict on a petition filed by BR Deepak, an advocate and forester.
For the night safari, 527 acres of land across Ragihalli and Kalkere forests of Bannerghatta Biological Park have been identified. The area is part of the elephant migratory corridor and it houses a large number of water bodies, sloth bear, leopards and nocturnal wildlife species.
Although Reddy announced that the first circuit of heli-tourism- heritage circuit would start in September, he was unable to comment on the infrastructure facilities to be provided.
However, officials from the district office said only three helipads were ready but had been damaged in the havoc caused by heavy rains. Some of the monuments were also ruined and water had stagnated and was overflowing in many places. The destinations would not be ready to be promoted under heli-tourism, they said.
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