Nashik: Lush green surroundings, breathtaking views, nature is at its best during monsoon. tourists, trekkers and adventure seekers not just from the city but from other districts too flock to the numerous monsoon getaways around Nashik, however, serious accidents can happen if travellers are negligent, caution experts.
Almost all the tourist places in Nashik are witnessing a huge crowd. Here the carpet of greenery has been covered and monsoon tourism has increased at present. In many parts of the district, the youth can be seen roaming around. Many tourist places have inadequate security arrangements. Also, the number of accidents has also increased due to the large crowd of revellers who exercise no precautions in tourism.
In the remote part of the district, the flowing waterfalls in the Sahyadri valley are attracting the attention of the citizens during the monsoon season. Dams are overflowing.
The uphill plateau is blooming with lush greenery. Last few days, the intensity of rain in Nashik had increased tremendously. Due to this, tourism has got a boost but there has been also an increase in unfortunate incidents such as increased accidents, inappropriate behaviour, misadventure by crowd of over-enthusiastic hooligans, vandalism of historical structures in the land of forts at tourist places.
Some videos of the increased crowd at Harihar Fort in Trimbakeshwar went viral. After that, the forest department closed the fort for tourism for a few days. A similar incident also took place at Salher Fort in Baglan taluka where a young man lost his life. Here too, the forest department seems to have tried to curb tourism. Many fort lovers are appealing that efforts should be made to prevent such incidents from happening.
Dugarwadi, Burundeshwar, Bhavli, Varasvihir, Bhandardara, Taas waterfalls, natural spring at Harsul, Surgana, Trambakeshwar, Gangapur in the western belt, Amboli, Kashyapi, Gautami, Darna, Bhavli, Vaitrana dam areas, various caves, Also, many forts including Harihar, Durgbhandar Trambagad, Ramshej, Hatgad, Ankai Tankai and Salher are crowded with tourists on Saturdays, Sundays and other holidays.
Barring a few scholars and tourists who come with their families, many enthusiastic people who came mostly in groups behave unruly. When there is no selfie zone, people take selfies by standing on the edge of the dam, in the water of the waterfall or on the steep cliffs of the forts.
”The more tourists, the more employment. However, tourism is increasing day by day in the rural areas, especially in the tribal belt, waterfalls, more than 60 historical forts in the Sahyadri range, natural dams in the western belt, forests, ghats, rivers, ancient temples where there is a crowd of tourists. In view of this, police patrolling needs to be enhanced, installation of emergency system is necessary. But there is no security in most of the tourist places”.
– Ram Khurdal, Founder, Shivkarya Gadkot Samvardhan Sanstha, Nashik
”There is a lot of opportunity for tourism in tribal areas. Trimbakeshwar, Surgana, Peth, Jawhar, Harsul areas have a large number of ghats, forests, waterfalls and forts as major tourism destination. The culture and folk art of these places should be preserved and tourism should be promoted if the poverty and unemployment of such areas is to be eradicated”.
– Devchand Mahale, resident, Harsul
