National Highway Authority of India has signed an MoU with the Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve, spread across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana to facilitate seamless and efficient entry process for vehicles entering into the forest area.
The initiative aims to provide FASTag based payment system at Forest entry points. It will extend the benefit of collection of Ecosystem Management Coordination fee through FASTag at various entrance points of the Tiger Reserve.
With this, visitors can avoid long queues and delays. This partnership between Indian Highways Management Company Limited and the Forest Department is a significant step towards promoting sustainable tourism and preserving natural resources by curbing vehicular emissions at the forest entry points.
Nagarjunsagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve
Nagarjunsagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve is the largest tiger reserve in India. The reserve spreads over five districts, Nandyal District, Prakasam District, Palnadu District, Nalgonda District and Mahabub Nagar district. The total area of the tiger reserve is 3,728 km2 (1,439 sq mi). The core area of this reserve is 1,200 km2 (460 sq mi). The reservoirs and temples of Srisailam are major attraction for many tourists and pilgrims. It is the largest tiger reserve forest in India and is located inside Nallamala forest area. It was established in 1983. The Nagarjunsagar-Srisailam Tiger Sanctuary was declared officially in the year 1978 and has been recognized by the Project Tiger in the year 1983. This Reserve has been renamed as the Rajiv Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary in the year 1992.