Nagpur: To make the jungle safari experience better, the Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) plans to introduce battery-operated vehicles (BOVs) for tourists by modifying the existing Gypsies.
“The plans are in a preliminary stage, and to start with, we have converted an old forest department Gypsy into a BOV. Test runs are going on by operating the vehicle in core and buffer areas,” said Kushagra Pathak, deputy director (buffer).
Pathak said, “We paid Rs8 lakh to a Delhi-based firm for retrofitting the vehicle. Several features have been included in it. During trials, after charging for 6-8 hours, the vehicle functioned for 100-120km. If charged for 8 hours, two safaris can be comfortably completed. After successful trials, we will introduce these vehicles.”
“The best part is that no charging stations are required, and the battery can be charged from any 15-ampere power plug. The vehicle has a battery management system (BMS), which manages the electronics of a rechargeable battery and there is no fear of any fires. The vehicle has a four-wheel and hill assistance, which automatically activates to stop the vehicle from rolling back. The battery cycle life will be for 5 years,” said Pathak.
When asked about the RTO permission, a TATR official said, “We will cross the bridge when we come to it. In the future, we never know if BOVs become mandatory. Considering the high cost of petrol, several vehicles are being converted into battery-operated ones. If compared to the high cost of petrol, it will always be economical to go for battery-operated vehicles. As the trial runs are in the initial stage, we have not decided how to go about it. Some solutions will be worked out by the TATR Foundation.”
Pathak said even forest minister Sudhir Mungantiwar has been advocating the use of electric vehicles and BOVs for safaris considering many advantages. On average, there are at least 500 Gypsies in the TATR core and buffer zones.
“One can imagine the pressure on the forest by way of carbon emissions by these vehicles. Many Gypsies may be old. Battery vehicles will not only offer smooth and silent safari drives but will also safeguard wildlife and preserve the serenity of nature as there will be zero emissions,” said Ankit Rattan, a regular tourist to wildlife parks.
