Guwahati, Sep 7: Dibrugarh could soon add a major wildlife attraction to its tourism landscape, with Assam planning a ₹534-crore Wildlife Safari and Rescue Centre aimed at combining conservation, research and tourism.
The proposed centre will come up across nearly 235 hectares of the Namdang Reserved Forest in Tingkhong, around 20 km from Dibrugarh town and about 30 km from the airport. Its location is expected to make the facility relatively accessible to visitors and could help Dibrugarh emerge as a stronger wildlife tourism destination in Upper Assam.
The project will be developed in two phases. The first phase, estimated at ₹259 crore, will include enclosures for tigers, rhinoceroses, leopards and bears, along with a veterinary hospital and a dedicated rescue centre for the treatment and rehabilitation of wildlife. The second phase, estimated at ₹275 crore, is planned to add facilities for species such as Asiatic lions, cheetahs, zebras and hippos, besides an advanced research centre.
The project is significant not only from a conservation perspective but also for Dibrugarh’s tourism potential. The district is already known for its tea gardens, river landscape and cultural heritage. A large wildlife attraction could give visitors another reason to include Dibrugarh in their Assam travel plans and encourage longer stays in the region.
The economic impact could extend well beyond the safari. A rise in tourist arrivals can create demand for hotels, homestays, restaurants, taxis, tour operators, local guides and handicraft businesses. Small traders and local service providers could also benefit as visitor spending increases.
The centre could also become part of a broader Upper Assam tourism circuit linking wildlife experiences with tea tourism, river-based activities and cultural destinations. Such a circuit could encourage tourists to spend more time in the region instead of limiting their visit to individual attractions.
Employment is another potential benefit. Construction of the project will create temporary work, while the completed facility could support jobs in wildlife care, veterinary services, tourism, hospitality, transport, maintenance and visitor management. The government has also identified employment generation as one of the expected benefits of the project.
At the same time, the rescue and veterinary facilities give the project a wider purpose. Assam has a rich and diverse wildlife population, and dedicated infrastructure can strengthen the state’s ability to treat, rehabilitate and manage animals in distress. Earlier state planning documents have also identified the Dibrugarh safari and rescue centre as a facility intended to improve wildlife rehabilitation and increase visitor inflow.
If developed with careful environmental planning and strong visitor infrastructure, the project could give Dibrugarh a new tourism identity. It has the potential to bring together wildlife conservation, research, local employment and tourism while creating a new economic opportunity for Upper Assam.
For Dibrugarh, the proposed safari could therefore be more than another tourist attraction. It could become a new anchor for the region’s emerging eco-tourism economy and help connect the district more closely with Assam’s wider tourism circuit.
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