Safari bookings ‘poached’ by resort owners at Tadoba

Nagpur: If you are one of those endlessly trying to get an online safari booking at Tadoba, and failing consistently, especially during peak season, then blame it on resort owners and tour operators. These 'stake holders' have resorted to organized fraud in bookings, by misusing the add-on facility, even as the wildlife wing looked on helplessly.

On the lines of railway bookings, Tadoba online booking for safari opens 120 days early. An analysis by TOI of the bookings from December 22 to December 31, 2017, Christmas vacation and peak tourist season, exposes organized fraud in safari bookings by some resort owners and unscrupulous elements. Most of the fraudulent bookings are for Kolara gate.

Of the 227 bookings in this period, 55 bookings over many days have been made by the same individuals, using slightly different names. Even if the name is different, the email ID and mobile numbers are the same. All bookings were done within 60 seconds, from 8am to 8.01am, the day bookings opened.

A woman named Jaya booked safaris for every day from December 22 to 31. She made the bookings in the name of Jaya-1 and Jaya-2 with the same email address, lushgreentour@gmail.com. Another person named Vikram booked safaris in the name of Vikram-1 & Vikram-2, but with the same email address as Jaya.

Similarly, Imran Kureshi 1 and 2, and Mohan Singh 1 and 2, have made bookings citing the same mobile number, indicating all are of the same resort. Singh has mentioned a different email address, though, atul.manuja@gmail.com. Kureshi did not respond to calls.

When TOI called Jaya's phone number, she said the call had reached '7 Tiger Resort'. "One of our properties is in Kanha, and one at Tadoba, which is opening from December 1," she said. When asked how she managed to make so many bookings, Jaya disconnected the phone.

There was another name Anjeneya Lal 1 and 2 with the mail address as ranjit@svasararesorts.com. These names too appear repeatedly in the data.

In all these suspicious online bookings, only a single passenger is named, with his photo ID. The remaining five slots are blank. Sources said the bookings are in the name of guides or drivers. The empty slots in these bookings are later sold for a premium of up to Rs25,000 to tourists keen on visiting Tadoba. Though the park gets a nominal gate fee of Rs1,000-1,200 for this 'add-on' facility, resort owners reap huge benefit.

Incidentally, this malpractice does not figure in a petition being heard in the Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court against excessive tourism and VIP culture in Tadoba.

PCCF (wildlife) AK Misra said, "This is simply shocking. Though the issue has not been brought before me, I will certainly act on it and expose such bookings." Even APCCF (wildlife) N Rambabu admitted there are discrepancies in online bookings which need to be rectified.

TATR CCF and field director Mukul Trivedi refused to comment, but said, "We have formed a three-member committee to investigate such bookings and recommend remedial measures."

However, some TATR officials told TOI there should be routine surprise checks to curb such frauds, but there is not enough staff, there is no access to the booking database at the entry gate. "Resort owners and tour operators are taking advantage of this. Secondly, the add-on facility is the biggest flaw, which allows last minute changes in names," they added.