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Baripada: The Similipal National Park in Odisha, which remained closed since mid-June due to the monsoon, will reopen for tourists from November 1, official sources said.
The park and the tiger reserve remained out of bounds for tourists since June 16 last as the hilly roads get washed due to heavy rains during the monsoon.
"The tourists can now enter the national park through Pithabata or Kaliami points," Harish Kumar Bist, the Field Director of the Similipal Tiger Reserve, said.
A maximum of 35 four-wheeled vehicles would be allowed to enter the national park area from Kaliami check gate and another 25 vehicles from Pithabata entry point between 6 AM and 9 AM every day. The tourists can book their entry tickets from Jashipur counter, Bist said.
"As per rules, the tourists will have to leave Badheipani and Jaranda by 3 PM, Chahala water fall by 4 PM," the forest official said, adding that the day-tourists will be allowed to stay inside the park till 5 PM.
The tourist groups are not allowed to cook in the national park area though they can take dry or cooked food with them in containers, but no plastic bags will be allowed.
Bist said arrangements have also been made by the Forest department at Jamuani and Kumari for night stay of tourists.
People interested to spend the night inside the park have to book the rooms online at the Forest office at Similipal or they can book online through www.ecotourodisha.
The Similipal National Park houses 1076 species of plants belonging to 102 families, besides 96 species of orchids.
A total of 42 species of mammals, 242 species of birds and 30 species of reptiles have also fround in Simlipal National Park.
The mammals found in the park include tiger, leopard, Asian elephant, sambar, barking deer, gaur, jungle cat, wild boar,chausingha (four horned antelope), giant squirrel and common langur.
