After Sena MP’s car mowed down deer, SGNP tells motorists to keep out

Puts up notices at Bhandup, Kanheri Caves gates after an MP's car knocked down and killed a spotted deer last month.

After Sena MP's car mowed down deer, SGNP tells motorists to keep out

Road from Bhandup to Kanheri passes through core area of SGNP. Pic/Sameer Markande

About two weeks after a Shiv Sena MP's car mowed down a deer in the tourism zone of the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP), the forest department has put up notices at the gates leading to internal roads, with instructions for the motorists of private vehicles to stay away from the route.

Notices have been put up at the Bhandup and Kanheri gates, which says only officials of the forest department and the BMC on duty are allowed to enter the internal roads. Sources from the SGNP said, "Private vehicles were already prohibited from entering the internal roads, which passes through the core area of SGNP between Kanheri caves and Khindipada near Bhandup, but some politicians still used the road to avoid traffic. They fail to understand that vehicular activity disturbs the wildlife movement in the core area. It is good that the forest department has put stricter rules to keep private vehicles out."

A notice has also been installed at the Khindipada gate. The forest department imposed the strict rules after an SUV belonging to parliamentarian Rajendra Gavit killed a spotted deer that was crossing the road adjacent to Trimurti station inside SGNP on November 27. The vehicle is said to have entered from Khindipada-Bhandup gate killed the deer just a few hundred meters ahead of the SGNP-Borvli main gate. "The road from Bhandup to Kanheri passes through the notified* national park area of SGNP. Except for forest officers and employees of SGNP on duty and also of the BMC administrating the Tulsi Lake, all other persons are prohibited from using this road as required by section 35, Wildlife Protection Act 1972."

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