New Delhi (NVI): Assam’s Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve (KNPTR) is set to reopen for tourists from today, seven months after it was closed down due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and state Forest Minister Parimal Suklabaidya will be present at the park’s opening ceremony.
The Kaziranga park will be opened to the public under strict COVID-19 precautionary measures.
According to the park authorities, wearing masks, using hand sanitisers and maintaining social distancing will be a must for all visitors. Only a limited number of jeep safaris will be allowed at a time. While all the vehicles will be sanitised after each trip.
During the initial days of the reopening, there won’t be any Elephant safaris for visitors. However, the government has said that there are chances of the safari resuming from November.
There are five national parks and 18 wildlife sanctuaries in Assam which have remained shut since the coronavirus outbreak in March.
Earlier in July, heavy floods had submerged almost the entire Kaziranga Park in which over 150 wildlife animals were killed including rhinos.
-RJV
