Jalpaiguri: Bengal forest minister Manoj Oraon said he would write to chief minister Suvendu Adhikary, seeking the reintroduction of the tourist toll, which used to be collected by the forest department. Oraon said this after a meeting at Dooarskanya, the DM’s office, in Alipurduar on Tuesday.The toll was withdrawn on Jan 22, 2025, after former CM Mamata Banerjee approved the application for its removal by then Alipurduar MLA Suman Kanjilal. Forest officials want the return of the toll, saying a portion of the funds was used for emergency repairs and development work in forests and some of it was used to pay tourist guides and safari vehicle owners.At Jaldapara National Park, the department used to charge Rs 2,050 for a group of six tourists; of the total amount, Rs 350 went to the guide, Rs 1,500 to the safari vehicle owner and Rs 200 was retained by the forest department as a toll. The amount varied for different forests, such as Gorumara National Park, Chapramari Wildlife Sanctuary and Buxa Tiger Reserve. “After the toll was stopped, we have to depend entirely on the govt treasury for every small work in the forests. Earlier, the Rs 200 collected from a group of six tourists helped us carry out minor repairs, such as fixing roads, washed away by rain. Now, even small repairs can take months,” a senior forest official said.“Some tourists often refused to pay our charge, claiming the former govt waived it. Restoring the system will help us earn our livelihood with dignity,” a guide at Gorumara said.
