Phone use banned in Rajaji reserve, Corbett to follow as SC order takes effect

Dehradun: Mobile phones have been banned inside Rajaji Tiger Reserve as authorities began enforcing a 2025 Supreme Court directive aimed at minimising human interference in protected forest areas. Corbett officials said similar preparations were underway at the reserve, too, and the ban will be implemented shortly. The SC order, issued in connection with Writ Petition No 202 of 1995 (T N Godavarman Thirumulpad vs Union of India & Others), states that the use of mobile phones within tourism zones of the core habitat of tiger reserves are not to be permitted.At Rajaji, notices informing visitors of the prohibition were put up at all four entry gates from Sunday. "The order is for all the citizens coming for safari too; as responsible visitors, they should adhere to the directives of the reserve, as we adhere to the apex court orders," said Koko Rose, director of Rajaji Tiger Reserve.
The move, however, met with resistance on Sunday at Rajaji, where some wildlife enthusiasts refused to proceed on safaris without carrying their mobile phones, officials said. "Not all protested, but some people were disappointed, so they went back without doing a safari," said a Rajaji frontline staff.The visitors are believed to have raised concerns over emergency situations such as vehicle breakdowns, accidents, or sudden medical needs inside the forest as justification for retaining their phones. Forest officials, however, said that the SC order leaves little room for exceptions and, for now, mobile phones will not be allowed inside the reserve under any circumstances. "The ban applies to everyone, including gypsy drivers and guides," an official said.The authorities at Corbett are meanwhile crafting rules and regulations to enforce the directives, deputy director of Corbett, Rahul Mishra, said. "We are in the process of finalising the guidelines and soon the ban will be formally implemented," he added.A senior forest officer indicated that the rationale behind the order may be linked to human behavioural responses during wildlife sightings. "When tourists or gypsy drivers spot wild animals, they often use mobile phones to communicate the animals' location to colleagues or other visitors. This practice can result in increased human presence, noise, and vehicular concentration in a limited area, all of which are known to cause stress, behavioural disruption, and discomfort to wild animals. Such disturbances may interfere with natural movement patterns and habitat use, and therefore are considered a likely factor contributing to the issuance of the order," he said.Uttarakhand is home to around 560 tigers, 124 snow leopards, 3,000 leopards, and 1,800 elephants, along with a wide range of other carnivore and herbivore species in its forests, making the state one of the finest wildlife sighting destinations for wildlife enthusiasts from India and abroad.