MP Pench geo-tags Gypsys, Tadoba to follow suit soon

Nagpur: Till now forest department was tracking the movement of tigers but now tourists are also on their radar. In a bid to avoid violations of rules, Pench Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh, has geo-tagged tourist Gypsys entering from Turia gate. In Maharashtra, around 24 Gypsys will be geo-tagged on a pilot basis at Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) in Chandrapur.

A move that was first implemented by Ranthambore tiger reserve started in MP Pench from October 1 when the forest reopened after monsoon. "We are geo-tagging Gypsys for the first time. We are at present using around 40 GPS devices in which routes of every vehicle from Turia gate are stored," said KK Gurwani, joint director of MP Pench Tiger Reserve.

Geo-tagging is done to ensure vehicles do not go off-track, ply within the stipulated speed limit and a particular track does not have too many vehicles in case of tiger sightings. "Earlier, when guides would get a tip-off about sighting of tiger at a particular spot, all vehicles would rush towards it ignoring the speed limit and sometimes even deviating from designated route. The animal would get disturbed due to such over-crowding," said a Gypsy driver.

Turia gate has the carrying capacity of 34 vehicles in morning and evening. Forest officials informed the tracking is being done based on the technology used by app-based cabs. "We have installed geo-tagging app in android phones that are handed over to every guide when a Gypsy enters the park. When the morning safari ends, we take back these devices from guides and reset them for evening safaris," said Gurwani.

The movement of vehicles is being continuously monitored by a team of staffers since the last fortnight. "We have issued strict instructions to drivers to stick to the speed limit of 30km per hour," officials said.

The department also plans to implement the system at other gates too. "We started with Turia as it witnesses maximum footfall. The other two gates - Karmazari and Jamtara have carrying capacity of ten vehicles each. However, the Internet connectivity needed at the entry point to activate GPS, is very poor at these two gates," an official said.

As reported by TOI earlier, similar project will be implemented from Mohurli gate in Tadoba. TATR field director Mukul Trivedi said registered Gypsys will be geo-tagged soon.

Advantages | Geotagging will provide details of route taken by vehicles, driving speed and crowding of vehicles at a particular location

What it will do | Control violations like speeding, crowding for a long time at same place for tiger sighting, vehicles going off-track