Kota: The voluntary relocation of eight revenue villages from the core area of Rajasthan’s Ramgarh Vishdhari Tiger Reserve (RVTR) in Bundi is progressing slowly due to staff shortage, delays in fund release and pending land allotments.The relocation covers 2,500-3,000 residents across eight villages, seven in the Ramgarh Range and one in the Jaitpur Range. While work has advanced in some villages, residents in others have complained of slow progress and poor communication from forest officials.According to RVTR officials, relocation is currently focused on Gulkhedi, Bherupura and Bhara Dhundhla. In Gulkhedi, 213 of 215 identified families have chosen compensation packages and 88 houses have been demolished. In Bherupura, around 150 of 264 families have received the first instalment of Rs 3 lakh, while the second instalment is pending due to delays in state budget allocation. In Bhara Dhundhla, documents of about 60 families are under verification.Relocation in Keshavpura, Bhimganj, Haripura and Javora ki Jhopriya will be taken up in later phases. Families can choose between a Rs 15 lakh cash package, a land package or compensation based on DLC rates.RVTR ranger Sumit Kanojiya said the reserve lacks a dedicated relocation wing, unlike Ranthambore and Sariska, forcing the existing staff to manage relocation along with protection and tiger monitoring. He added that no land has yet been allotted to families opting for the land package.Activist Vittal Sanadhyay said repeated requests for dedicated staff have not yielded any action. In Keshavpura, where 106 households are to be relocated, no application has been completed. “Residents are willing to move due to frequent tiger sightings, but the department has failed to hold clear informational meetings,” Shambhudayal Gurjar, a local schoolteacher, said.Deputy Conservator of Forests Arun Kumar D said 146 families in Beerpura Antri have consented to relocate and received the first instalment, while further payments are awaiting central funds. He said land availability remains the biggest hurdle for families opting for land packages.To address this, the department has proposed de-notifying 244 hectares of the Keshavpura forest block near Khatkar. The proposal received stage-one clearance in May 2026, and the remaining statutory process is underway. Once completed, families from Gulkhedi, Bhara Dhundhla and Bhimganj will be shifted outside the core area.Arun Kumar D acknowledged the shortage of staff and said he would write to senior officials seeking a dedicated relocation wing. “We are managing with the existing staff, and the relocation has improved. We are now waiting for funds,” he said.
