Sundarban Tiger Reserve opens for tourists with all the safety measures

As the COVID-19 lockdown has started to ease down, a number of tourist attractions in India have started to reopen with numerous safety measures. Among these is the Sundarban Tiger Reserves, which has opened its gates for adventure seekers and nature lovers. So those who were missing jungle safari and greenery, can now do so at this famous tiger reserve in West Bengal.

The government gave permission to reopen the tiger reserve from June to tourists. Sundarban, which is also a biosphere reserve and a national park, is one of the prominent tourist attractions in the country and the state. Brimming with a wide range of wildlife, the place is visited by thousands of travellers each year. But given the pandemic, the national park was closed in the month of March.
But now the tiger reserve has opened once again with guidelines provided by the National Tiger Conservation Authority. If you wish to visit the national park, you’ll have to follow the below mentioned guidelines:

1) Mask is the most important thing to safeguard from the deadly Coronavirus. So visitors along with the park staff will have to make sure that their faces are properly covered with the masks and shields throughout the jungle trip.

2) Temperature check is another unmissable requirement to enter the park. All the tourists and crew will be checked for temperature with no contact thermometer, before boarding the boat.

3) All the boats must be sanitised before and after deboarding. Also all the boats must have provision for sanitiser/hand wash.

4) Anyone less than 10 years and above 65 years won’t be allowed inside the Tiger Reserve.

5) At a time only five boats/launches will be allowed to ensure social distancing.

6) Number people limit: Only 12 people for a 2 cylinder boat, 18 for a 4 cylinder boat, 25 for a 6 cylinder boat, and 35 for a 6 cylinder launch.

7) Tourists won’t be allowed to disembark from their vehicles and no lavatory facility be available at the camps inside the reserve.