If the thrill of tiger safaris gets your pulse racing, the Jammu and Kashmir government is mulling introduction of safari service in the city forest areas. The safari service are already in operation Bandavgarh, Kanha, Pench Madhya Pradesh, Sunderbans, West Bengal, Jim Corbett National Park, Uttarakhand, Sasan Gir Wildlife Sanctuary, Gujarat and if the J&K government is mulling something on the pattern of these safaris it will surely would give fillip to the tourism industry which has taken the worst beating during the last four months of turmoil which began immediately after the killing of Hizbul terrorist Burhan Wani. Kashmir may not have something to offer like tiger safaris or lion safaris of Uttarakhand and Madhya Pradesh but it has its own endangered species of wild life including the Hungal, snow leopard in Dachigam forest or the winter and summer migratory birds in both Jammu and Kashmir regions. Most of the off season avian species comes from far off wilderness of Russian Siberia, Mongolia and Caspian sea areas of Turkey and other countries logging thousands of kilometers in search of warm climes in India and Jammu and Kashmir gets the largest chunk of these visitors at various water bodies spread over the state. Unfortunately it is today the state government is planning to tap the virgin potential for the promotion of tourism. The introduction of wildlife safari buses in Srinagar by the forest department will help restrict the movement of private vehicles to eco-friendly areas. There is a need to develop the city forest areas in and around the Srinagar city. The Forest Department would develop the city forests from Zabarwan hills, including Koh-e-Maran, Shankarachariya hills, and other adjoining hills, which would add new life to the historic city. Focus should be to develop the Srinagar city forest area to attract more adventure and eco-friendly tourists. The tourists visiting Srinagar can explore this eco-tourism site in wildlife safari service. With poor connectivity and infrastructure J&K will have to work really hard to fulfill the safari dream keeping in mind the volatile situation prevailing on the surface.
