Sanjay Gandhi National Park to turn into city's star attraction in two years

Days after it reported a rise in leopard count, the Sanjay Gandhi National Park has more good news to offer. The 104 sqkm park is all set for a makeover to make it more interesting for visitors.

Under the project, the park will get a lakeside promenade, tourist huts, mangrove walkway, taxidermy gallery, nature trails, nature interpretation centres, open gymnasium, machans, new leopard safari, mobile application, etc.

Vikas Gupta, director and chief conservator of forest, shared, "In two years time the revamp should be done and the national park will look more promising."

The revamp plan has been shaping up for a year and has now been approved by the state Forest Department for implementation. In October 2014, dna had reported some of the features that would be part of the SGNP, but in the last eight months more ideas have been included.

Currently, Kanheri caves, boating, lion and tiger safari, mini-train, tents, rest houses, children play area and the Gandhi Memorial draw a scores of visitors to SGNP. The project includes all possible aspects of the national park, except for the construction of the boundary wall which is simply not gathering pace.

The process will begin with the appointment of a consultant, who will prepare a detailed project report, followed by floating of bids.

The idea is to make SGNP more active towards sharing information pertaining to nature by having nature trails at different locations like Manpada, Sasupada, Yeoor, Borivli, highest point, etc. Instead of going to zoo, one will be able to see different birds and animals at the proposed taxidermy gallery.

Souvenir shop is another feature that will be bettered. The present shop is outside the park boundary next to the ticketing counter, but is usually missed by visitors. There's a possibility that the location may changed with additions in the items on sale by including Warli art and artefacts and other tribal arts.

Adventure sports plans such as rock climbing and rappelling, which have remained on paper for long, have been included in the project.

In another eco-friendly measure, officials plan to procure 14-seater battery operated vehicles to ferry visitors. Fifteen such vehicles will be acquired, they added.

Leopard Safari

Already approved and funds allocated by the Maharashtra government, leopard safari at SGNP is part of the larger plans of the Forest Department. Currently, tiger and lion safari exists inside the park. The existing safaris would be revamped too under this multi-crore plan.

In all, there are 15 leopards housed at the rescue centre apart from the 35 big cats that are roaming in the wild. During his budget speech, finance minister Sudhir Mungantiwar had given impetus to ecotourism and announced putting in place the leopard safari at SGNP. He had also said that the caged leopards will be part of the leopard safari.

Learn about nature

As part of the eco-tourism facilities, the periphery or several areas on the boundary of the SGNP would be developed by way of Nature Interpretation Centres (NEC) or nature trails.

"Infrastructure is already there at Sasupada of Nagla Block and at other locations. We just need to refurbish them and start activities. We want people to come to national park ignorant and leave with loads of information about nature," said park director Vikas Gupta. Similar features at Manpada and Yeoor too would be revived to conduct nature trails on a regular basis. Currently the only Nature Interpretation Centre exists is at Borivali.

Nature trails would go hand-in-hand with the centres as various trek routes would be revived where forest guides would lead nature lovers into the forests. One of the trails that are likely to be revived is mangrove walk at Sasupada.

A taxidermy gallery will showcase stuffed animals that are not usually seen during one's visit to SGNP. Some of the animal and birds include mouse deer, vulture, leopard, etc.

Food and fun

As part of the upgradation of renovation and development of infrastructure several new things would come up at the SGNP. Some of these would include cafeterias, lake side promenade, better ticket counters, improved souvenir shop, upgraded mini-train, etc.

First, the main entrance gate where ticket counters are situated will undergo modernisation. Battery operated vehicles will ferry tourists to certain points.

The boating arena too will witness improvement with plans of developing sit-outs or lakeside promenade. Mini train – Vanrani – too would be getting an upgrade of technology. "We will explore the possibility if a better engine can be brought to haul the mini train," said Gupta.

Three tourist huts and cafeterias too would come up inside the park. At the moment, there isn't any cafeteria and people from padas or hamlets within the SGNP sell eatables to the visitors at Kanheri caves and other locations.

There's also a larger plan of watershed management, which will include desiltation of lakes. It will ensure Mumbai has water for an extra month apart from conserving environment within the national park boundary.

SGNP mobile app

The aim is to improve SGNP's promotion and make a brand image to attract more visitors to the park. For this, officials will come up with a mobile app.

Local tourist circuits will be recognised and activated that will be of larger public interest. While the features of the app are yet to be finalised, it is expected that in the next few years booking like Kanheri caves, lion and tiger safari can be through the application.

A greater deal of this mobile application will focus on sharing information about the flora and fauna of the national park.

Warli/tribal art

Apart from maintaining a modern outlook, local flavour too would be included to the national park. The idea is to promote the skills and arts among the communities residing within the SGNP. There are plans to have Warli paintings and artefacts at the souvenir shop. Other local tribal art too would find a place on the shop's stands.

In order to achieve this, skills of local communities would be honed so that they can support themselves by finding employment opportunities within the park including becoming guides for visitors.

G) POINTS UNDER SEVEN CATEGORIES

1) Renovation and development of infrastructure
Modern entrance gate
Roads and drainage system
Public water kiosks
3 tourist huts
Administrative building
Conference hall
Cafeterias
Lakeside promenade
Repairing of staircase leading to Pagoda and Gandhi Tekdi
Safari and boating ticket counters
Souvenir shop
Technology upgrade of mini-train facility

2) Development of eco-tourism facilities
Developing Nature Interpretation Centres at Borivali, Manpada, Yeoor and Sasupada
Developing nature trails
Developing mangrove walkway at Sasupada
Developing Cats Orientation Centre
Taxidermy Gallery
New Signage system
Eco-friendly transport system
Machans and Canopy walks
Butterfly Park
Landscaping
Developing water harvesting and storage structures
Desiltation of lakes
Children Park
Adventure sports
Open gymnasium
Sit-outs
Eco-friendly toilets
Developing garbage collection and disposal facilities

3) Development of safari tourism
Developing existing tiger and lion safari
Developing newly proposed Leopard Safari

4) Use of information and communications technology in managing SGNP
Developing mobile Apps
MIS for visitor management
Security solutions

5) Promotion and branding of SGNP
Developing promotional and publicity material
Developing sustainable model providing linkages with publicity houses
Facilitating and augmenting local tourist circuits

6) Promoting livelihood of local communities
Enhancing and imparting skills to local communities to be used as guides and work for running various facilities
Providing local warli/ tribal art

7) Developing self-sustainable revenue model
Developing commercially viable and self-sustainable concept
Ecotourism structure assessment and elements of market demand