Nagpur: In a significant development offering much-needed relief to tourists, S S Bhishma, the Principal District Judge of Chandrapur, has issued a ruling permitting the Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) to resume the booking of wildlife safaris through their own online portal. This decision comes after a protracted legal battle initiated by the former safari operator, Wild Connectivity Solutions (WCS) of Chandrapur, according to a report in a local English daily.
The dispute began when WCS contested the termination of its safari booking contract via the mytadoba-org website on August 3, 2023. Since the termination, safari bookings had remained closed, causing disruption during the peak tourism season.
According to the report, WCS had previously entered into an agreement with TATR management on December 10, 2021, to provide online safari booking services for a five-year period, ending on December 10, 2026. WCS challenged TATR’s decision to terminate the contract under Section 9 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996, seeking an interim injunction to prevent the termination from taking effect.
During the court proceedings, WCS’s counsel, PC Khajanchi, argued that WCS had not violated any contract terms, and its services were not deficient. In contrast, Kartik Shukul and Raghav Bhandakkar, representing TATR and other non-applicants, contended that in the event of contract termination, the applicant (WCS) could seek remedies in the form of damages and compensation.
Shukul also revealed that TATR management had repeatedly requested WCS to provide transaction details and had raised concerns about the safari booking bank account being maintained in Uttar Pradesh, rather than in Chandrapur. Furthermore, it was argued that the parties involved in the agreement had the right to withdraw from it. Complaints from stakeholders, guides, and gypsy drivers about payment delays were not adequately addressed by WCS.
Meanwhile, as the court case unfolded, TATR conducted an audit that uncovered significant financial irregularities involving WCS. The audit revealed irregularities amounting to Rs 12.15 crore, leading to the filing of an FIR against Rohit Vinodsingh Thakur and Abhishek Vinodsingh Thakur, both of whom are currently on the run after their anticipatory bail applications were denied by the court.
According to TATR officials, the court has paved the way for safari bookings which will start in four days once testing of the new website is completed. The state-run NIC has developed the website www.mytadoba.mahaforest.gov.in through which safaris will be booked from now on.
It is a composite website for all parks and will be operated by the Maharashtra Ecotourism Development Board (MEDB). The state government on Thursday allowed the MEDB to open a pulling account in SBI, Civil Lines, for payment gateway. The review of the account will be done every three months.
Even though the court allowed booking of Tadoba safaris, it also partly allowed the petition of WCS and stayed the termination of service agreement with TATR till the commencement of arbitration proceedings.
The court also restrained TATR from substituting the applicant’s portal for booking the safaris with any other portal. The TATR officials said that they are not substituting the portal, but the bookings will now be routed through government-run MEDB.
