CM Saini visits Singapore wildlife reserve for Aravalli safari plan
Synopsis
Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini visited Singapore's Mandai Wildlife Reserve on October 4, 2026, studying its wildlife conservation and tourism model to inform a proposed jungle safari in the Aravalli region of Gurugram and Nuh.
Key Takeaways
Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini visited Mandai Wildlife Reserve, Singapore on October 4, 2026 .
The visit was specifically oriented toward a proposed jungle safari in the Aravalli region of Gurugram and Nuh .
Saini studied conservation and tourism management systems at Mandai as a direct reference model.
The Aravalli corridor in Gurugram and Nuh is an ecologically sensitive zone in the National Capital Region hinterland.
The CM indicated Singapore's learnings would be applied to the Aravalli safari project, suggesting active planning is underway.
Mandai Wildlife Reserve is one of Asia's leading integrated conservation-tourism destinations, making it a relevant benchmark for the Haryana initiative.
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini walked through Singapore's Mandai Wildlife Reserve on Sunday, October 4, 2026, studying its conservation and tourism systems with a pointed purpose: to shape a proposed jungle safari in Haryana's own Aravalli hills.
What Mandai offered that Aravalli needs
Posting from Singapore, CM Saini wrote that he visited Mandai to 'van yjeev sanrakshan evam paryatan se judi vyavasthaon ko kareeb se samjha' — 'closely understand the systems related to wildlife conservation and tourism.' The explicit frame was the proposed jungle safari in the Aravalli region of Gurugram and Nuh, two districts that straddle one of India's most ecologically stressed yet biologically rich ridge systems.
Mandai Wildlife Reserve is one of Asia's most integrated wildlife destinations, housing multiple parks on a single contiguous site and blending conservation science with immersive public access. For a state government designing a greenfield safari project, the reference point is deliberate — Mandai represents a model where ecology and footfall coexist without one destroying the other.
The Aravalli corridor Saini wants to activate
The Aravalli range running through Gurugram and Nuh is a federally recognised ecologically sensitive zone. The hills serve as a green lung for the National Capital Region, sheltering leopards, nilgai, jackals, and dozens of bird species even as urban and industrial pressure closes in. A jungle safari here would simultaneously serve conservation — creating a protected buffer with a revenue model — and tourism, drawing visitors from the NCR's massive population catchment.
CM Saini indicated the Singapore learnings would be directly applied to this project, suggesting the planning process is active enough to justify a dedicated international study visit. The commitment to carry Singapore's 'experiences' back to the Aravalli corridor signals that detailed design and feasibility work for the safari is already underway in Haryana.
Why this visit matters beyond a photo-op
Senior state leaders conducting benchmarking visits abroad before launching large infrastructure or conservation projects is not unusual — but the specificity here is notable. CM Saini did not visit a generic zoo or a city park; he chose Mandai, a reserve purpose-built to answer exactly the tension Haryana faces: how do you open a wild ecosystem to the public without losing what makes it wild? That question, asked in Singapore today, is aimed squarely at Gurugram and Nuh tomorrow.
The Aravalli jungle safari, if it advances, would be one of the largest eco-tourism projects in the National Capital Region's hinterland — a test of whether conservation and commerce can share the same ridge line.
Point of View
A flagship jungle safari near the NCR would also be a high-visibility electoral deliverable, combining environmental credentials with tangible infrastructure. The real test will be whether the conservation safeguards that make Mandai work can survive the political and commercial pressures that inevitably accompany large tourism projects in ecologically fragile Indian landscapes.
NationPress
5 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the proposed Aravalli jungle safari in Haryana?
The Haryana government has proposed a jungle safari in the Aravalli hills spanning the Gurugram and Nuh districts, aimed at combining wildlife conservation with eco-tourism for visitors from the National Capital Region.
Why did CM Nayab Singh Saini visit Singapore's Mandai Wildlife Reserve?
CM Saini visited Mandai to study its wildlife conservation and tourism management systems and apply those learnings to the design of the proposed Aravalli jungle safari in Haryana.
What is Mandai Wildlife Reserve in Singapore?
Mandai Wildlife Reserve is an integrated wildlife destination in Singapore housing multiple parks on a contiguous site, known for successfully combining conservation science with large-scale public tourism access.
Where exactly is the Aravalli jungle safari planned in Haryana?
The proposed jungle safari is planned in the Aravalli region covering the districts of Gurugram and Nuh in Haryana.
What wildlife is found in the Aravalli region of Gurugram and Nuh?
The Aravalli hills in this area shelter species including leopards, nilgai, jackals, and a wide variety of bird species, making it one of the NCR's most significant remaining wild corridors.
