If staying at a bamboo hut in the lap of nature is your fantasy, it may come true at Dalma Wildlife Sanctuary, around 30km from Jamshedpur.
The lone bamboo hut near Makulakocha village on the Dalma foothills, shut for almost a year due to poor maintenance, is now waiting for revamp funds from the eco-tourism corpus of the state forest department.
Dalma range officer R.P. Singh said they had asked for Rs 70 lakh for a makeover of the bamboo hut, a much sought-after refuge from the madding crowd when it is open to visitors.
Located near the main entry point to the sanctuary, the two-bedroom furnished facility has a living room, two toilets, a kitchen and a manicured lawn.
The hut was last renovated in 2004 by experts from Bangalore-based Indian Plywood Industries.
"We are really eager to get funds for renovating our bamboo hut and hope that the funds from the state government come soon," said Dalma range officer R.P. Singh.
He added the hut needed a makeover as the structure had become weak. "The facility is almost two decades old. The bamboo sticks procured from Chennai are now worn out. As the bamboo structure is the novelty factor, a replacement is necessary, but we don't want to change the look," added Singh.
He added that the per-night rate for stay at the bamboo hut would be kept affordable as always. "It used to be Rs 1,100 per night, including Rs 100 for maintenance and will remain so till further notice," Singh said.
"We have several plans under the eco-tourism project. Dalma is a top tourist destination and bamboo hut is certainly a major attraction," said Singh.
Authorities have also decided to set up two additional rooms inside the compound, which also host forest guard quarters. "Dalma cottages and Pinderbera guesthouse mostly remain full. So, additional rooms will come handy during tourist rush," said Singh.
The compound will be fenced by barbed wire to keep elephants at bay. Members of the Dalma eco-development committee will also ensure round-the-clock security once renovation is complete.
