Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma opened a 6-kilometre forest trail in Kabirdham, pledging ₹146 crore to transform the sanctuary into a national eco-tourism hub.
RAIPUR, July 11 — The Chhattisgarh forest department threw open a 6-kilometre eco-trail deep inside the Bhoramdeo Wildlife Sanctuary today, anchoring a new ₹146 crore tourism infrastructure push that they’ve secured from the central government. Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma inaugurated the weekend-only trail alongside a massive seed-ball distribution campaign. He explicitly warned the gathered crowd that they can’t separate forest conservation from rural economic survival in Kabirdham district.
The state isn’t just laying down dirt paths for casual hikers. Officials are directing ₹146 crore from the Swadesh Darshan scheme to overhaul the region’s historical and natural sites, and they won’t stop at minor repairs. Sharma confirmed the funds will build new entry gates, museums, modern parks, and parking facilities. They’re also upgrading access to specific heritage spots, including the Cherki Mahal, Madwa Mahal, Ramchua, and the Saroda dam, ensuring tourists don’t face the usual logistical bottlenecks.
And the local Baiga community isn’t being left out of this shifting economy. During the launch at Kariya Aama village, Sharma handed over solar lanterns and jackets to 100 Baiga beneficiaries who’ve navigated these forests for generations. Younger residents are now working as nature guides, pulling a direct income from the visitors streaming into the jungle safari. They’re proving they don’t have to leave the district to secure a steady wage.
But can a controlled influx of weekend tourists actually protect a fragile ecosystem, or haven’t we learned from past development mistakes?
Sharma argues they shouldn’t ignore the economic engine of travel. He told the gathering that tourism remains one of the world’s fastest-growing sectors, and Bhoramdeo needs that momentum so locals aren’t forced to migrate for work. More foot traffic means a higher demand for local hotels, transport, food stalls, and handicrafts. He anchored this economic pitch with a warning that they shouldn’t take this growth for granted. The sanctuary’s development will only succeed if locals treat the forest as their own heritage, guarding its cleanliness because the state can’t do it alone.
The jungle won’t survive if the very people living beside it don’t protect it.
Forest officials have mapped the new trail to take three to four hours, and they aren’t rushing the experience. Divisional Forest Officer Nikhil Agarwal said trained guides will lead small groups through the dense canopy every Saturday and Sunday, so visitors aren’t wandering blindly into sensitive habitats. They’ll depart from the Bhoramdeo Eco Camp near the Kariya Aama gate. Walkers aren’t just getting a hike; they’ll receive an education on local medicinal plants, native bird species, butterflies, and the broader Bhoramdeo temple heritage complex.
The department didn’t stop at the trail launch. Sharma planted 51 ‘Kala Aam’ saplings at Kariya Aama to establish a dedicated black mango grove, a species they’re eager to protect. He then flagged off an e-rickshaw to kickstart the distribution of one lakh saplings across the district. This ran alongside a separate push to scatter 50,000 seed balls before they’ve completely missed the narrow monsoon planting window.
Local political heavyweights backed the event, showing a unified front that we haven’t often seen on regional tourism initiatives. Chhattisgarh Gau Seva Aayog Chairman Visheshar Patel and Krishak Kalyan Board Chairman Suresh Chandravanshi joined the 6-kilometre walk, proving they aren’t just issuing orders from a desk. District Panchayat President Ishwari Sahu, Police Accountability Authority member Bhagat Patel, and Dr. Virendra Sahu also navigated the dense foliage alongside hundreds of villagers who’d gathered for the festival.
They’ve set the stage for a dramatic transformation of Kabirdham’s wild frontier. The ₹1,000 ticket price filters the crowd, while the ₹146 crore infrastructure plan prepares the region for a massive capacity upgrade that shouldn’t disrupt the wildlife.
So, the Baiga youth will lead the way, pointing out medicinal herbs to urban weekenders while ensuring the canopy doesn’t fall silent.
“We don’t often see leadership stepping off the tarmac and into the mud for rural tourism,”
“Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma’s push recognizes that you can’t protect Kabirdham’s canopy without fueling the community beneath it. Executed properly, it’s a blueprint for the entire state.” -Shubhankar Shukla.
