For the first time, elephant safari to begin in Buxa following the CM’s directive
Alipurduar: In a major development for tourism in North Bengal, the Forest department is preparing to launch elephant safaris in Buxa Tiger Reserve (BTR) for the first time. Acting on the directive of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, preparations are already underway, with the training of two kumki (trained) elephants scheduled to begin this month at Jaldapara National Park. According to Forest department sources, Buxa currently does not have any trained elephants. Therefore, two suitable kumkis will be selected from Jaldapara, which houses over 80 trained elephants and is regarded as a key center for elephant management in the country.
As per forest regulations, all wildlife sanctuaries and reserves across India, including those in Bengal, will remain closed to tourists from June 15 to September 15. During this off-season period, the selected elephants will undergo intensive training in Jaldapara to prepare for safari operations in Buxa. A trial run will be conducted at a designated site inside the reserve. If successful, the elephant safari is expected to be officially launched before December. Tourism stakeholders in the region are optimistic. They believe that the Rajabhatkhawa area within Buxa, known for its striking blend of dense forests and grasslands, has strong potential to emerge as a popular destination for elephant safaris. The area already attracts visitors through its jeep safaris and frequent wildlife sightings. The initiative gained momentum following Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s recent visit to North Bengal. During a meeting in Siliguri, tourism industry representatives raised the demand, prompting the Chief Minister to instruct the Forest Department to take swift action.
Navojit Dey, Assistant Wildlife Warden of Jaldapara National Park, stated: “Initially, two kumkis will be trained. The training will be conducted during the three-month forest closure period and we are confident of its success.” Debashis Sharma, Deputy Field Director of BTR (East), added: “A trial safari will be conducted in the first phase. The official route is yet to be finalised and will be announced upon successful completion of the trial run.”
