Jaldapara jumbo, jeep safaris set to resume

Alipurduar: Jaldapara National Park’s popular elephant and jeep safaris, suspended after the October 5 floods, will fully resume from Monday. The Torsa and Sishmara rivers had submerged parts of the park and damaged several wooden bridges along safari routes.

Thanks to the tireless efforts of the Forest department, all damaged bridges have been repaired, and the surrounding areas cleared, restoring the park within two weeks. Safaris will now operate on a fixed schedule with designated routes and timings to ensure visitor safety.

Forest officials confirmed that the wildlife remained largely unharmed during the floods. Ten one-horned rhinos that were swept away have been safely returned to the park, and elephants, deer, peacocks, and other species are once again visible in their natural habitats.

Biswajit Saha, Secretary of the Eastern Dooars Tourism Development Association, said: “It’s not just the safaris resuming; the forest staff have successfully returned 10 rhinos to the park in the past 14 days. Their work has been truly remarkable. We warmly welcome all tourists.” Parveen Kaswan, DFO of Jaldapara Wildlife Division, added: “The Madarihat Gate Safari will reopen from Monday. Bridge reconstruction and road clearance are complete. Visitors are advised to plan their trips accordingly.”