Bhubaneswar, Aug. 4: The state government is planning a major eco-tourism development centre in the Chandaka Dampara Wildlife Sanctuary on the city outskirts.
A 12-member team consisting of senior officials of the tourism and forest departments visited the site last Thursday to explore the possibilities at both its entrances — Dampara in Cuttack district and Godibari in Khurda district. It is likely that the Godibari entrance will be chosen because of the already existing facility there.
Sources said the forest department had already written to the revenue department for alienation of 54 acres near the Godibari entrance so that a mega eco-tourism site can be developed there soon.
Tourism director Manoranjan Patnaik said: “The Godibari gate of the Chandaka-Dampara sanctuary has two beautiful nature trails, two water bodies, a rock-climbing facility, a children’s park, an interpretation centre with seating arrangements, four air-conditioned rooms for visitors, a medicinal plant garden and a wild berries garden. The tourism department has financed the development of some of these facilities.”
Forest officials have promised to develop the nature trails at Godibari.
“We will develop more walking paths. However, since no eco-tourism site can be developed inside the sanctuary area, the 54-acre land near Godibari will help us in realising our dream,” said a senior forest official.
Debasish Mohapatra, a tour operator in the city feels better communication facilities during the peak tourism season by the city bus service and tour packages of the Odisha Tourism Development Corporation should be linked to Godibari since Chandaka is a well-known destination among tourists.
“With rising population and growing IT-based industries around the city, a lot of young people can be our target customers for weekend holiday packages. We only need to do some proper marketing,” he said.
“Chandaka is not only related to tourism but also to the ecology of the city because all its drainage channels originate from there. The water resources department can revive the beautiful water harvesting structures in Chandaka, which could be developed as water sports centres,” environmentalist Bijay Mishra said.
Weekend fun
What: Chandaka
In focus
Where: Godibari to have major eco-tourism centre
How: Forest department has approached revenue department for 54 acres
What’s new: More nature trails, recreational facilities
Target customers: Tourists looking for weekend getaways