Buxa Tiger Reserve tourism has remained subdued during the festive season after safari routes were restricted following the release of a three-year-old tigress brought from Bihar, while protests by residents of forest villages have further disrupted access to the reserve in Alipurduar district.
The reserve was closed to tourists from September 30 to October 9 after the tigress was relocated and released into the forest. Although the forest was reopened on October 10, several safari routes remained closed to avoid disturbing the animal. The reopening was also affected by a road blockade staged by residents of 18 forest villages located inside the reserve.
Debashis Sharma, deputy field director of the eastern division of Buxa Tiger Reserve, said the forest had reopened on October 10 and that safaris were still operating on multiple routes. He said some routes had been closed only to give the tigress time to acclimatise. Sharma did not comment on whether the lack of tourists was linked to the restrictions or the protests.
The road blockade was held on the Buxa Forest Road on October 10 by residents protesting against restrictions imposed by the Forest Department and demanding implementation of the Forest Rights Act, 2006. The blockade was lifted later that evening, but the sit-in protest near the Rajabhatkhawa gate has continued, according to the report.
The disruption has affected local businesses that depend on visitors during the festive tourism period. Manab Bakshi, secretary of the Alipurduar District Tourism Association, said homestays were empty and that visitors had cancelled existing bookings and sought refunds. He said tourism operators supported the forest-village residents’ movement and criticised the timing of the restrictions before the festival season.
Safari vehicle operators have also joined the protest. Driver Kishan Das said popular routes, including the Chunia Watch Tower route, had been closed. Although the Forest Department had identified the Mahakal route as open, he claimed that the route was not ready for use. According to Das, the limited access had increased visitor costs and reduced demand for safari vehicles.
The current disruption follows the annual closure of forests in West Bengal between June 15 and September 15. Buxa was scheduled to reopen on September 16, but tourism activity has been affected by the tigress relocation, route restrictions and the continuing protest by forest-village residents. Safari drivers have said they will not resume operations until their demands are addressed.
The immediate operational question is how the Forest Department will balance the need to allow a newly relocated animal to settle with demands for access from tourists and livelihood groups. The department has not announced a date for reopening the suspended routes or for resolving the protest. Until those decisions are taken, Buxa’s tourism economy remains dependent on a partial safari network and uncertain visitor access.
