Dudhsagar Falls in Goa is one of the most famous waterfalls in India. Literally translated as "the sea of milk", its stunning shots in the movie Chennai Express left an indelible mark on the audience. The most thrilling part is that you can actually take a day tour in Goa to trek to this waterfall, and bathe under it's clear waters!
However, videos have been doing rounds on the internet, which shows hundreds of tourists on railway tracks at an unknown location in Goa, being thwarted by the police in their attempt to visit the falls.
Monsoon Ban On Visiting Dudhsagar Falls
The Goa forest department has banned the entry of general public at waterfalls located within wildlife sanctuaries of the state. This ban is effective from July 11, and is aimed at prioritizing public safety, since the state is witnessing heavy monsoon, and the water in these falls is swelling to unsafe levels. The move comes after two persons died at a waterfall in South Goa recently.
What Prompted Tourists to Get Down on Tracks?
Goa's waterfalls are a huge hit with the tourists during monsoon, as they become beautiful after rains with high water levels. In the wake of the temporary ban on entry to Dudhsagar falls, hundreds of tourists decided to take matters in their own hands and walk on the Railway Tracks to reach the falls. This video has gone viral on social media, and it's believed that many of these tourists may be inspired by seeing reels of "unseen destinations" on social media.
However, the tourists, who had come from both Karnataka and Goa, claimed they were unaware of the ban. Since some roads leading to the waterfalls were closed due to heavy rainfall, they opted to take the railway tracks instead.
Railways' Action
Officers from Railway Protection Force, Goa Forest Department and Goa Police swiftly reacted to the situation, and stopped the tourists from going further, and endangering their lives, both on the Railway Tracks and the waterfalls.
Another Viral Video
A viral video on social media shows some trekkers being made to do sit ups on the tracks as a part of their punishment for getting down before their scheduled stop and walking on tracks to reach Dudhsagar which is prohibited.
Railway Advisory
The following tweets from South Western Railway are trending on Social Media:
We urge you to savour the beauty of Dudhsagar Falls from WITHIN your coach. Walking on/along tracks not only endangers your own safety but is also an offence under Section 147, 159 of Railway Act. It can also endanger safety of trains
De-boarding at Dudhsagar or any other station along the Braganza Ghat is prohibited. All passengers are requested to co-operate & follow rules laid down for your own safety
So this monsoon, we urge you to travel responsibly. If you are a social media influencer, please urge your audience to do the same.
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