Pune: Bhimashankar closed for two months for tourists. Read more here.Â
Due to the risk of accidents on trails that have become slippery due to rain, the Forest Department has decided to close these nature trails to tourists until September 30, announced Vasant Chavan, Forest Range Officer of Bhimashankar Sanctuary No. 1. Bhimashankar, housing one of the twelve Jyotirlingas, draws a large number of devotees and tourists who come to experience the holy Shivling and the monsoon’s mist-covered Sahyadri ranges and waterfalls.
However, despite their beauty, these spots can be dangerous and difficult to access during the rainy season. Acknowledging the heightened risk of accidents, officials have opted to close all trails leading to the waterfalls in Bhimashankar Wildlife Sanctuary 1 and 2. The unpredictable water flow and depth in these waterfalls’ pools present substantial hazards to visitors.
The closure includes routes to Kondhwal waterfall, Chondi waterfall in Khopivali, Nhanicha waterfall near Padarwadi, Subhedar waterfall in Narivali, and the paths from Khandas to Bhimashankar, including the Ghongal Ghat Nala and Shidi Ghat from Padarwadi to Kathewadi.
The Deputy Conservator of Wildlife, Pune, has urged all tourists visiting Bhimashankar to strictly adhere to the rules during the monsoon season and to cooperate with the authorities. Tourists are also warned against illegally entering the sanctuary without permission. Vasant Chavan, Forest Range Officer, indicated that those who enter restricted areas without authorization will face action under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
Earlier in July, the Maharashtra Forest Department had also banned entry to Tamhini Wildlife Sanctuary and Bhimashankar Wildlife Sanctuary until the end of the monsoon season. Tushar Chavan, Deputy Conservator of Forest (Wildlife) in Pune, has stated that all accident-prone zones in these sanctuaries will remain closed to tourists until September 30, 2024. The incidents at Bhushi Dam and Tamhini Ghat, where several people were swept away by water was the reason behind this decision.
