JAIPUR: The increased influx of tourists may have given a chance to mint money to those from the tourism industry, but the elephants at Amber are having a tough time. One can witness utter chaos during the peak hours for elephant rides with tourists thronging the Amber Fort. Despite the fact that the tourism department has restricted the maximum load for elephants (two tourists per elephant) and just one ride for each animal per day, the 95 elephants at here are having a hard time as mahouts have been flouting the rules.
From 8am one can see mahouts and tourist guides jostling to accommodate maximum number of tourists. “This is peak season and one ride for an elephant is not enough to accommodate the heavy rush. Sometimes we have to allow an elephant to carry four tourists at a time. The tourism department should increase the number of rounds for the safari,” said Raees Khan, who owns an elephant.
“This is the peak season and we cannot afford to lose this opportunity. Just 95 elephants are not enough,” said a mahout.
