Forest minister Ananta Roy (right) in one of the trolleys. Picture by Biplab Basak

Siliguri, Nov. 6: Rides on hand-pulled trolleys are expected to bring the forests closer to the visitors, so close that it can be almost touched for they will be using tracks that snake through the clumps of sal, teak and khair.

The trolleys were introduced today at Gorumara National Park, 70km from here, as part of the wildlife week celebrations.

“We have hired two trolleys from the Northeast Frontier Railway and have also engaged people trained to run them,” said Tapas Das, the divisional forest officer (wildlife-II) today. “The service we hope will attract more tourists to the forests. This is the first time that such a service has been introduced in any reserve forest of the country for visitors.” The trolleys will use the abandoned railway track that passes through the park and connects Domohoni with Chulsa.

According to Das, an unused shed at the crossing close to Lataguri on the outskirts of Gorumara would be developed into a station. “Tourists will board the trolleys, which can carry five persons each, from the Gorumara station. They will be taken 2km inside the forest up to the Neora river. There will be arrangement for refreshments followed by the return trip to the crossing.”

The department has fixed Rs 100 per head as the rate and plans to make at least 10 trips with each trolley everyday.

Forest minister Ananta Roy inaugurated the trolley service today and also opened the gates of Hornbill Nest, a cluster of cottages at Bichabhanga near Lataguri.

“We spent Rs 20 lakh to build the cottages, which will provide alternative sources of income to forest villagers. Of the total revenue earned here, half would go to the villagers of Bichabhanga and Sursuti,” Das said.

A 24-hour tour package for Rs 800 per person has been also introduced. Tourists can check in at Hornibill in the afternoon, have lunch, take the trolley ride in the evening, return and enjoy cultural programme ending with dinner. The next day, they can go out on a trek, visit observation towers, come back, have breakfast and then leave.

Das said the two trolleys were likely to generate an income of Rs 10,000. The monthly earning may come to around Rs 3 lakh. “Added to this will be the income generated from the cottages,” he said.