Nahargarh Biological Park

Why in News?

• December 8, 2025: A safari vehicle caught fire inside Nahargarh Biological Park, leading to a narrow escape of 15 tourists.
• The fire started in the engine compartment and spread rapidly.
• All tourists were evacuated safely by the driver and forest rescue teams.
• The incident was reported in The Indian Express.
• It renewed public debate on:
  • Eco-tourism safety
  • Vehicle maintenance accountability
  • Forest fire risks linked with mechanised tourism

Relevance

GS 2 – Governance

• Public safety in tourism
• State accountability
• Forest department administration
• Private contractor regulation

GS 3 – Environment & Disaster Management

• Forest fire risks
• Sustainable eco-tourism
• Wildlife conservation vs commercial tourism
• Climate–fire linkages

What is a Biological Park & Safari?

• Biological Park:
  • A protected forest area focused on:
    • Wildlife conservation
    • Environmental education
    • Regulated tourism
• Wildlife Safari:
  • Controlled movement of tourists via:
    • Buses
    • Open jeeps
  • Supervised by:
    • State Forest Department
• Legal backing:
  • Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972
  • State eco-tourism rules

Nahargarh Biological Park:

• Located in Jaipur district, Rajasthan, along the Aravalli hill range.
• Established in 2016 as part of the larger Nahargarh forest landscape.
• Functions as a biological conservation and eco-tourism park.
• Developed to:
  • Reduce pressure on city zoos
  • Promote semi-natural habitat-based conservation
• Falls under the jurisdiction of the Rajasthan Forest Department.

What Exactly Happened?

• A safari bus carrying 15 tourists:
  • Detected smoke while moving inside the park
  • Within minutes, it burst into flames
• Immediate response:
  • Driver evacuated tourists
  • Forest department rescue team arrived quickly
• Outcome:
  • Tourists unharmed
  • Vehicle completely destroyed

Governance & Regulatory Gaps Exposed

• No nationally uniform safari vehicle safety code
• Absence of mandatory:
  • Fire suppression systems
  • Automatic engine cut-off
  • Periodic third-party fitness audits
• Many safari vehicles:
  • Operated through private contractors
  • Weak maintenance accountability

Legal & Judicial Context

• Forest tourism operates under:
  • Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972
  • State forest rules
• The Supreme Court of India, in the T.N. Godavarman forest conservation case series, has repeatedly emphasised:
  • Controlled tourism
  • Vehicle regulation in forest zones
  • Prevention of ecological degradation

Eco-tourism vs Conservation: The Core Tension

• States promote safari tourism for:
  • Revenue
  • Employment
• But unchecked tourism leads to:
  • Infrastructure stress
  • Safety dilution
  • Wildlife disturbance
• The Nahargarh incident shows:
  • Commercial incentives overtaking precautionary principles

Conclusion

The Nahargarh safari fire exposes the safety and regulatory vacuum in India’s rapidly commercialising eco-tourism sector, where infrastructure growth has outpaced environmental risk governance.

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