Tourists enjoy a boat ride at Bichitrapur in Balasore. Telegraph picture

Balasore, Jan. 8: Nature-lovers can now have a good time at ecological hot spot Bhograi in Balasore district.

One can enjoy boat rides and trips to mangrove forests to experience nature up, close and personal at new tourism centre, that has been launched.

The centre is located at the northern tip of the state at Bichitrapur, close to Digha beach in Bengal. One can get a panoramic view of the mangrove forests at the confluence of Subarnarekha river and Bay of Bengal, apart from the sandy beach that looks like a red carpet with thousands of red crabs on it.

Birds of different species, including migratory ones, are another major attraction.

This eco-tourism centre has been developed under the Odisha Forestry Sector Development Project with the support of the Japanese International Cooperation Agency and was inaugurated recently.

“After the centre is developed, tourists can get the opportunity of boating in tidal creeks, walkways and arboretum apart from nurseries of mangrove and casuarinas,” said Pramoth Das, range officer of nearby the Jaleswar.

“The centre is the first in the district and built at an expenditure of Rs 42 lakh. A tourist would be charged with Rs 1,000 per hour for a ride on a six-seat boat and Rs 1,200 for an eight-seat one,” he said.

The forest department has handed over the boats to the local community, formed by Vana Sanrakhyana Samiti (forest conservation committee), of four villages, namely, Badapal, Ranasinghpur, Khadibil and Krushnanagar.

“After developing the centre, the department has handed it over to the local eco development committee. It has responsibilities to maintain and run the affairs,” said Kedar Swain, the divisional forest officer of Balasore.

“Further plans and proposals are on the cards which would be implemented subsequently based on the performances of the development community,” he said.

Local residents are excited about the newly-opened eco tourism centre and believe that it will trigger a growth in tourist inflow.

“With the centre being managed by local committees, we have the scope to better our livelihood if the centre runs successfully. The tourists visiting Digha beach can come to this spot easily,” said Arabinda Patra, a local resident.