Bhubaneswar: Odisha’s plan to construct a helipad near Similipal National Park reflects the state’s growing push to integrate connectivity with tourism-led development. Announced in the Assembly by Commerce and Transport Minister Bibhuti Bhusan Jena, the proposal—initiated by Bangiriposhi MLA Sanjali Murmu—seeks to improve access to one of India’s most ecologically significant biosphere reserves while promoting heli-taxi services from Bhubaneswar to Similipal and Gopalpur.
On paper, the initiative aligns with a broader infrastructure narrative: reducing travel time to remote regions, boosting eco-tourism, and strengthening emergency response capabilities. For Mayurbhanj, long constrained by connectivity gaps, the helipad could stimulate local tourism, generate livelihoods, and integrate the district more closely with the state’s economic mainstream.
Yet, Similipal is not just another tourist destination—it is a UNESCO-recognised biosphere reserve and home to critical wildlife habitats, including elephants, tigers, and rare flora. Increased aerial connectivity and tourist inflow risk disturbing fragile ecosystems, escalating human-wildlife conflict, and adding pressure on already vulnerable forest landscapes. Noise pollution from helicopters, infrastructure footprints, and unregulated tourism could undermine the very ecological value that attracts visitors.
Eco-tourism, by definition, must prioritise conservation over commercialisation. For the helipad project to be credible, it must be backed by rigorous environmental impact assessments, strict zoning norms, controlled tourist capacity, and community-led conservation frameworks. Without such safeguards, the development risks becoming extractive rather than sustainable.
Odisha’s challenge is to strike a delicate balance: leveraging connectivity to drive inclusive growth while preserving Similipal’s ecological integrity. Infrastructure can open doors, but in sensitive landscapes, restraint, regulation, and ecological foresight must guide every step.
-OdishaAge
