A tree canopy created by the Forest department to attract tourists is awaiting approval from the head of the forest force, to be thrown open to members of the public.
A senior Forest department official said the proposal to construct a canopy walk was mooted in 2015 by the department.
“A letter informing the principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife) was also sent, but no formal approval was sought. The tourism department has allocated Rs 84 lakh to construct the canopy. As it falls under the Dandeli tiger reserve and Castle Rock reserve forest, approval from the principal chief conservator of forests is awaited,” he explained. The canopy is at a height of 20 metres and is 240 metres in length. The idea of the canopy is to promote tourism and educate people, especially children, who visit the forests under ‘Chinnara Vana’ programme.
“We want to make children aware of the biodiversity of the area and the forests,” he said. For the canopy walk, one has to get down at the Castle Rock railway station and from there, take a vehicle to the forest department camp towards Doodhsagar. From the camp site, one has to trek for 500 metres to reach the tree canopy.