Wilpattu Park records tourist influx

Nimal Wijesinghe Anuradhapura Additioal District Group Corr

The numbers of local and foreign tourists visiting the Wilpattu National Park has been on the increase. The Sanctuary which had been closed for a number of years due to terrorist activities was reopened in February last year.

Chief Warden of the park Weerasinghe Dissanayake told the Daily News that 18,800 local and foreign tourists had visited Wilpattu in the last 10 months.

He said the income from ticket sales from March 2010 to January 10,2011 was Rs 5,631,996. The Wilpattu National Park was opened on February 25, 1938 and is 140,000 acres in extent. It covers the Anuradhapura, Puttalam and Mannar districts.

”Four tourist holiday bungalows which had been in a dilapidated conduction have been fully renovated and opened. One bungalow could be occupied by 10 people plus two children for Rs 7500 per day, for three days maximum.

These bungalows have been booked in advance for the next few weeks under the instructions of wildlife Minister SM Chandrasena four more bungalows which were in a dilapidated state will be renovated and rehabilitated to accommodate more tourists.

They are located in the Makalamaduwa, Manikkapolauttuwa, Maradankulama and Kalivilluwa areas,” the Chief Warden revealed.

The Wildlife Department is at present designing a master plan for developing and improving the Wilpattu Park to international level.

Under this plan it is envisaged to modernize the internal road network covering a length of nearly 150 kilometers, preservation and highlighting nearly 68 monuments, Shrine rooms and artifacts including ‘Kuweni’s Palace,’ the point where “Prince Vijaya” is supposed to have come ashore as main tourist attractions.