Jaldapara National Park Reopens After 15 Days of Closure
Alipurduar, 20 October : After remaining closed for nearly fifteen days, the main gate of Jaldapara National Park in Madarihat finally reopened to tourists today, Monday. The park had been shut since October 5 due to extensive damage caused by a natural calamity in various parts of the region.
While jungle safaris in Chilapata, Kodalbasti, and Salkumar resumed a few days after the closure, safaris from the main gate in Madarihat — including the popular jungle and elephant safaris — remained suspended.
The prolonged closure had sparked discontent among local tourism stakeholders. Last Friday, local traders and tour operators held a demonstration near the park’s main gate, demanding the immediate reopening of safari services from Madarihat. Officials had assured them that the park would reopen soon — and today, that assurance has finally been fulfilled.
With the reopening of the main gate and the resumption of both jungle and elephant safaris, tourism operators are visibly relieved and optimistic. The first day witnessed a large influx of visitors, with tourists arriving from various parts of India and abroad to experience the wildlife and natural beauty of Jaldapara once again.
Local business owners expressed joy, hoping that the reopening would revive the tourism-dependent economy of the region, which had suffered significant losses during the closure.
