Karnataka Mandates Online Registration and Nature Guides for Trekking

The Karnataka Forest Department has announced a new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for trekking trails across the state, effective immediately. This regulatory update follows the recent disappearance of a trekker in the Tadiandamol forest of Kodagu district. Environment Minister Eshwar Khandre declared that online registration is now mandatory for all trekkers, and no one will be permitted on approved trails without a local nature guide. The ratio is set at one guide for every ten trekkers, with a maximum batch size of 150 people. To enhance safety, every trekker must install a mobile app containing route maps to aid in location tracking if lost. Guides are equipped with GPS-enabled walkie-talkies and must communicate with base camps every thirty minutes. Additional measures include mandatory briefings on wildlife encounters, prohibitions on single-use plastics and flash photography, and strict waste management rules. Minors require written parental consent, while senior citizens must submit fitness certificates. The SOP also ensures infrastructure improvements such as separate toilet facilities, drinking water arrangements, and clear signboards at base camps and along routes to support safer and more organized trekking experiences.