India, Feb. 1 -- Trekking to be limited to 300 people a day once it resumes, only in areas with online bookings

Karnataka's popular trekking path Kukke Subramanya-Pushpagiri, on an environmentally sensitive section of the Western Ghats, has been temporarily closed from February 1, 2024. The trail that witnesses thousands of visitors will now resume treks in October and visitors will be allowed only in areas with a government online booking system.

The ban came after a video clip of the tourist traffic from last weekend made rounds on social media. The previous weekend, which was a long one thanks to the Republic Day holiday on January 26, saw over 1,500 trekkers lining up at the entry counters on Kodagu and Kukke Subramanya sides of the...