Archive · 11 Oct 2026
Residents Block Roads Over Buxa Homestay Restrictions, Safari Disruption
Residents of 18 villages near Buxa Tiger Reserve blocked a road on Saturday.
They were upset that tourists could not stay overnight in registered homestays nearby.
The rule came after a tigress was brought to the reserve from Bihar.
Forest officials had paused car safaris for a week and then allowed them to start again on Saturday.
The blockade stopped vehicles from reaching places such as Jayanti and Santalabari.
Some tourists had to cancel their plans, including a visitor from Sweden who had come to see the reserve.
Officials spoke with protest leaders, and the roadblock ended around 5.30pm.
Residents said they may continue protesting and also want their villages recognized as revenue villages without being displaced.
Residents from 18 forest villages blocked a road near Rajabhatkhawa on Saturday, disrupting access to Buxa Tiger Reserve.
They protested restrictions on overnight stays at registered homestays near the reserve, saying the decision harmed local livelihoods.
The restrictions followed the release of a tigress from Bihar’s Valmiki Tiger Reserve into Buxa on October 2.
The blockade prevented safari vehicles and other traffic from passing; visitors had to cancel trips, and one visitor from Sweden was stranded.
The protest was withdrawn around 5.30pm after administrative intervention, but residents warned they might block Sunday’s safaris and also demanded revenue-village status and no displacement.
- Who
- Residents of 18 forest villages, with some villagers from Chilapata and Darjeeling district also joining.
- What
- They blocked a road to protest restrictions on overnight homestay stays and raised demands for revenue-village status and no displacement.
- When
- Saturday; the blockade began at 9am and was withdrawn around 5.30pm.
- Where
- Near Rajabhatkhawa, an entry point to Buxa Tiger Reserve in Alipurduar district.
- Why
- Residents said the overnight-stay restriction hurt local families’ livelihoods; forest authorities had adopted stricter tourism protocols after a tigress was released into the reserve.
Residents and protesters
Forest authorities’ stated measures
Overnight homestay stays
Residents and protesters
Residents said the restriction on visitors staying overnight at registered homestays harmed local families’ livelihoods and should be lifted.
Forest authorities’ stated measures
Forest authorities adopted stricter tourism protocols after a tigress was introduced to the reserve; the article does not report a direct response from officials to the protesters’ demand.
Safari access after the tigress release
Residents and protesters
Protesters blocked the road after car safaris resumed, and said they might not allow safaris on Sunday.
Forest authorities’ stated measures
Authorities suspended car safaris for seven days to help the tigress adapt, then permitted them to resume with vehicles allowed inside the forest until 5pm.
- Villages involved
- Residents of 18 forest villages
- Blockade location
- Near Rajabhatkhawa, the entry point to Buxa Tiger Reserve
- Blockade timing
- Started at 9am and ended around 5.30pm on Saturday
- Tiger release
- A tigress from Valmiki Tiger Reserve was released into Buxa on October 2
- Safari operations
- Car safaris resumed Saturday after a seven-day suspension; vehicles were permitted inside the forest until 5pm
- Residents’ demands
- Allow overnight stays at registered homestays; convert forest villages to revenue villages and prevent villagers from being displaced