The ruins of Buxa fort (left); and its entrance. File pictures

Alipurduar, Nov. 8: The forest department has chalked out a Rs 5 crore makeover plan for a tiger reserve in Jalpaiguri district and the more-than-a- century old fort adjoining it.

The Archaeological Survey of India has agreed to restore the Buxa fort that was used by the British in the 1930s as a deportation camp for political prisoners during India’s freedom struggle.

“The Union tourism ministry has recently sanctioned Rs 4 crore of the Rs 5 crore. The funds are already with the West Bengal Forest Development Corporation, which is going to implement the project. We had approached the ASI and it has agreed to restore the fort. A team of archaeologists will visit the fort this winter to draw up the restoration plans,” said R. P. Saini, the field director of Project Tiger in Buxa, 30km from Alipurduar town.

A scat analysis last year had confirmed the presence of at least 13 tigers in the reserve, a revelation that had come as a relief for foresters since no big cat had been spotted in Buxa till 2009.

Earlier this month, the department had released 50 spotted deer in the forest to increase the prey base for the tigers.

The makeover also includes a ropeway ride of 2km — from Santrabari to the fort which is at 2,600 feet.

Saini said a private firm in Calcutta had been contacted for the construction.

“We are also trying to repair the motorable road from Santrabari to Zero Point inside the tiger reserve,” he said.

There is a 3km trek trail from Zero Point to Buxa fort, built by the British in 1886. But bad road forces tourists now to walk the 2km stretch from Santrabari to Zero Point.

The forest department also plans to construct four new watchtowers in Buxa and set up tents in Raimatang and Rangamati, which are part of the 761sqkm reserve.

According to the plan, the century-old Shil Bungalow in Kumargram will also be renovated and at least eight cottages will be constructed around it. “We will train self-help groups and they will look after the hospitality aspect for the visitors. We have already decided to hand over a dormitory in the Jainti forest to the local people,” Saini said.

According to the field director, a watch tower will be set up near the Nararthali Beel in Buxa where migratory birds flock during winter.

He added that local tour operators were being told about the plan to set up new accommodations so that visitors get to know about them.

Biplab Dey, a tour operator in Alipurduar, said the new projects would give a tremendous boost to tourism in Buxa. “The ropeway and the new tents and cottages will certainly attract visitors. If these are completed soon, tourist flow in Buxa will increase manifold,” he said.