After brief ban, Karnataka launch portal to facilitate trekking expeditions in forests

BENGALURU: After a brief ban on trekking expeditions in state forests, following a mad rush of thousands of trekkers at Kumara Parvatha peak in January 2024, the Karnataka Forest Department on Thursday launched a dedicated website, ‘Aranya Vihaara’, to facilitate trekking expeditions in various forests of Karnataka.
According to forest minister Eshwar Khandre, all trekking expeditions, henceforth, will only be allowed through prior booking on the portal.Trekkers can book trekking expeditions by logging on to the website. For over 10 months since enforcing the temporary ban, the Forest Department, in collaboration with the Karnataka E-governance Department, has developed a dedicated portal, ‘Aranya Vihaara’, at a cost of Rs 40 lakh. All trekking routes that were previously available through the Ecotourism Board will also be made available through the Aranya Vihaara website.
Currently, out of the 50-plus trekking trails, five trekking tracks have been launched for bookings. “By the end of October 2024, we will add the remaining trekking trails to the portal and facilitate bookings,” Minister Khandre explained.
To regulate the trekkers on the trekking trails, the forest department has allowed only 300 trekkers per day, keeping in mind the carrying capacity of the ecologically sensitive trails. “The carrying capacity of the trekking trails has been recommended by ecological experts. For popular trekking destinations, we will charge Rs 350 per person, and lesser-known trails will cost Rs 250 per person, along with GST. There will be one guide for every 10 trekkers, and one person can book for 10 people at a time per day,” the minister clarified.
Trekkers must mandatorily register on the portal through their e-mail IDs, and booking requires the submission of valid govt IDs, including driving licence, PAN, passport, and other valid govt ID cards. “Once they register and start booking by entering ID card details, they will receive an OTP, and only after the OTP authentication will the booking person be allowed to proceed further. Payments on the portal have also been secured,” Khandre explained.
Anticipating that many private trekking clubs are expected to skip the online booking and enter forest areas illegally, the Forest Department will constitute checking squads, similar to the KSRTC ticket checking squad, which will randomly check trekkers and fine them if they have not authorised booking on the portal.