Jaipur: A brake failure sent a safari canter crashing into a tree inside Ranthambore Tiger Reserve (RTR), leaving 24 tourists, including three children below five, injured and forcing the group to wait nearly an hour for rescue.The incident, which occurred in Zone 9 on Aug 15, has exposed glaring chinks in tourist safety and raised questions over the mechanical condition of ageing and worn-out canters and gypsies operating inside the tiger reserve.A complaint filed by Delhi residents Sachin Jain, advocate, and RK Jain, a copy of which is in possession of TOI, says the tourists were travelling in canter RJ25 PA 4517 when its brakes allegedly failed and the vehicle hit a tree. Several members of the family suffered injuries, with some sustaining bleeding injuries, while one passenger allegedly lost a gold earring, the complaint stated.After hitting the tree, the canter’s two wheels allegedly became stuck in mud. The tourists claimed there was no rope or other equipment available to pull the vehicle out, leaving the injured group inside the forest. “Children and women remained inside the forest while injured passengers were bleeding,” the complaint stated.The family allegedly spent nearly an hour trying to arrange help, making calls to several people before the vehicle owner reached the spot. A rescue canter eventually arrived, but the tourists alleged that it too did not have a first-aid kit.When the injured passengers asked for medicines or first aid, none was allegedly available. The tourists also claimed they did not have the mobile number of any forest officer to immediately seek help.The accident has also brought the mechanical condition of safari canters operating in Ranthambore under renewed scrutiny. The complaint has raised questions over whether ageing, worn-out and dilapidated canters are being subjected to sufficiently stringent fitness checks before being allowed to enter the reserve.A senior forest official said, “The matter was being taken seriously and a decision would be taken within the next two to three days to ensure that vehicles found unfit to ply are not allowed inside the forest.”The issue of ageing safari vehicles has been a contentious one in Ranthambore. Sources said pressure from the safari vehicle operators’ union, coupled with political interference, has stalled attempts to discontinue older vehicles several times in the past.“The permitted age of safari vehicles has also been extended three times. Vehicles that were earlier allowed to operate for eight years can now be as old as 11 years, despite concerns over their condition,” he said.Sources added one of the arguments used in the past to justify extending the permitted age was that 15-year-old vehicles are allowed in Madhya Pradesh forests. The extension was also sought after gypsies were discontinued and the safari fleet was reorganised.However, sources said the condition of several vehicles in Ranthambore has now deteriorated significantly, making the issue of mechanical fitness more pressing.“The union reaches out to political leaders and threatens to go on strike whenever the department tries to discontinue old vehicles. Under pressure, politicians also approach the department citing the numbers of vehicles that would be affected. But this time strict action will be taken. One major accident with casualties inside the park would bring a bad name to Ranthambore,” a source said.Senior official said the forest department will now examine the fitness of older vehicles more closely before allowing them to ply. Sources said “The immediate concern remains whether corrective action will be taken before another mechanical failure turns into a more serious accident. If old fleet is not replaced safari in RNP will remain risky. People are also scared of the union.”
