The Keoladeo National Park at Bharatpur will wear a new, enhanced look from October which promises to be both tourist and environment friendly. The tailor-made ecotourism project at the bird sanctuary is currently under implementation and would be completed before the season of the migratory birds begin as per a report in TOI.

As part the ecotourism project, the entire sanctuary is set to make use of solar energy for its power needs. Except for the air-conditioners , everything from computers, lights to water-pumps at the park would run on solar power. Even the lights and fans at the offices and the park's guest house will go solar. This will make Keoladeo, the first national park in the country to convert to non-conventional energy. As of now, the work on installing solar panels for the borewells in the park is on.

The conversion to solar power project , implemented by the Rajasthan Renewable Energy Corporation Limited (RRECL), is set at Rs 1 crore. As part of the project, 10 solar power plants of 200 MW each would be set up at all the guard posts in the park, along with an 8-KW grid-solar hybrid power plant at the Dr Salim Ali Convention Centre and another similar plant near the park's entrance. "Keoladeo would be the first national park in the country to be free of conventional energy sources. Apart from the offices and guest house, even the lights in the forest area will run on solar energy. The project is expected to be complete by October,'' deputy chief wildlife warden and director Anoop K R said.