Bhubaneswar, Nov. 3: Visitors to Similipal National Park can now enjoy traditional Odia cuisine at the restaurant opened at the Kumari eco-tourism complex.

A souvenir room has also been built within the park where forest products and crafts and artefacts crafted by local artisans will be sold. They have been built at an expenditure of Rs 8 lakh and Rs 2.5 lakh respectively to improve facilities for tourists.

"Tourists can have lunch and dinner by paying Rs 200 for each meal and Rs 100 each for breakfast and afternoon snacks. The restaurant has a seating capacity for 24 persons," said Karanjia divisional forest officer Prasanna Kumar Behera.

Four eateries will be made functional from this season, two at Kumari and two at Muktapur. An amphitheatre has also been opened to visitors where cultural programmes will be held every evening.

"A number of local art forms will be performed by the local artistes while the food courts will be run by local self-help groups. The aim is to boost the local economy," said Ajit Kumar Satpathy, deputy director, Similipal Tiger Reserve, which is a part of the national park.

"This kind of project would not only provide the local tribal people in the buffer zone of the tiger reserve employment but also help in revenue generation," said Satpathy.

The park, which has been closed since mid-June because of monsoon, reopened for tourists on November 1.

Plans are on to promote homestays at the forest. "We are identifying suitable villages where tourists can stay as paying guests in the houses of the local tribal people and taste a sample of the local life," added Satpathy.

Drinking water facilities and toilets will be opened at various locations inside the forest within a month.

A maximum of 35 four-wheeled vehicles will be allowed to enter the national park area from Kaliami check gate and another 25 vehicles from Pithabata entry point between 6am and 9am every day. One guide for every vehicle has been made compulsory.

Similipal National Park houses 1,076 species of plants belonging to 102 families, besides 96 species of orchids. A total of 42 species of mammals, 242 species of birds and 30 species of reptiles are also found in the forest.