Off-Roads And Off-Limits

Until a few years ago, the ecologically fragile lateritic plateau of Kaas, home to rare and endemic floral species, witnessed large scale damage due to uncontrolled tourism.

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Tourists trampled over plants by walking or driving their vehicles over them. Thankfully, strict regulatory measures by the community and the Forest Department brought some respite to this World Heritage Site. However, there are all-too-many ecologically significant areas across India, which continue to be decimated by irresponsible adventure seekers.

Off-roading has, for instance, recently caught the imagination of thrill seekers, largely through TV advertisements that seek to win customers by appealing to the adrenaline rush that they crave. Though at a nascent stage in India, several car and bike brands are selling vehicles ‘built’ to take the shocks of driving through rough terrain. Called Off-road Vehicles (ORVs) or all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), these cars, motorbikes and even cycles promote the concept of driving through areas such as the sand dunes of a desert, rugged slopes of a mountain or through pristine vegetation in jungles.