Jhalana reserve: eVehicles project put in cold storage

Jaipur: Six electric vehicles which were supposed to be used for leopard safari in Jhalana forest reserve are yet to become operational even three months after they were purchased. 

With the increasing air and noise pollution due to wildlife safari gypsies and canters at Rajasthan wildlife reserves including Ranthambore national park, Sariska tiger reserve, and Jhalana park, Rajasthan’s forest department decided to launch electric vehicles for tourists last year.

According to the officials, the file pertaining to granting permission to eVehicles at Jhalana has been put on hold. No action has been taken in this regard over the past three months. 

Senior forest department officers said that that the file had been submitted to forest minister Sukhram Bishnoi a month ago. No response has been received from the minister. The eVehicles cannot operate at Jhalana without his permission.

Forest minister Bishnoi is neither giving the approval nor pointing out any issues with the launch of the eVehicles, said sources.

The tenders for the electric vehicle were issued during the previous BJP government last year. The Congress government bought these vehicles after coming to power.

Maharashtra’s Tadoba Tiger Reserve has already launched the country’s first ever electric vehicle for wildlife safari. There will no noise and air pollution in the forest areas after these vehicles are introduced.

The features of the vehicle include 100km run capacity after a one-time full charge and the boost function if the vehicle gets stuck in the sand. It can accommodate six people excluding the guide and the driver.