New Delhi: Bitten by the adventure bug, an increasing number of well-heeled Indians are gliding through the air strung on parachutes, fighting river rapids on flimsy rafts, diving deep into the seas or plunging dizzying heights connected to nothing but an elastic cord.
Reports of rafting accidents from Rishikesh or even the recent video of a 39-year-old getting critically injured in Poland that was circulated widely did raise serious concerns about safety measures, but adventure junkies say the danger is built in.
As industry insiders stress on the levels of caution they take to ensure no accidents happen, sports enthusiasts say it is the excitement, thrill and sometimes even the fear associated with these activities that make them attractive.
Like Pune-based project manager Subhabrata Chattopadhyay, who has drawn up bucket list of adventure activities. “These sports take you out of your comfort zone and are great stress busters.
Though these activities are done in the supervision of experts, still there is a certain amount of risk involved and I quite enjoy the thrill,” 31-year-old Chattopadhyay told PTI. He has already checked paragliding, parasailing, waterfall rappelling, kayaking and bungee jumping off his list. “Next up are scuba diving and sky diving,” he added.
Chattopadhyay is among the thousands who are making India a booming adventure sports destination. Adventure activities in India grew by 178 per cent from 2015 to 2018, according to a 2018 survey by online travel portal Thrillophilia.
The survey found that activities like parasailing, paragliding, trekking, hot air ballooning, heli-skiing, river rafting, scuba diving and snorkeling are gaining traction in the country. However, all of this thrill, much like in the Poland accident, may take a fatal turn in the absence of required security measures and well-trained instructors. For instance, there have been several reports of boats capsizing while river rafting in Rishikesh, a must visit for many adventure enthusiasts.
In March this year, 55-year-old Lata Chand Dhanik from Gurgaon died after her boat carrying eight more people overturned.
While the others were rescued, Dhanik fell unconscious, and was eventually declared brought dead at the hospital. Industry players said safety is paramount and they spare no costs. Their clients are in safe hands, assured Ganesh Gurjar, manager at the Rishikesh-based Red Chilli adventure.
All clients are briefed on dos and don’ts for 20 minutes and also trained in paddling in case of the raft overturning or someone falling. “Our guards are CPR (Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation) certified, and ambulances are also available on call,” Gurjar added. Accidents, he said, often happen because of undisclosed information on the customers’ part. (PTI)
