Is It Safe to Visit Chhattisgarh?” The Question I Am Asked Most

There is one question I am asked more often than any other, and I will admit it gets under my skin: “Is it safe to visit Chhattisgarh?”

For years, this question alone was enough to set me off. I have since learnt to answer it better, because I have come to understand where it comes from. It comes from a lack of awareness, and not only outside the state. Even people living in other parts of Chhattisgarh assume that travelling within their own state is unsafe, particularly in Bastar, which became infamous for left-wing extremism.

So let me answer it properly.

First, understand the size of Bastar. The undivided Bastar district was larger than the state of Kerala. It has since been split into seven districts for better administration, but the whole region is still called Bastar. The places tourists visit lie within 50 to 100 km of the city of Jagdalpur. Chitrakote Falls is about 38 km away and Tirathgarh Falls about 35 km. Kanger Valley National Park, with its Kutumsar caves, is roughly the same distance, and the Danteshwari temple at Dantewada is about 85 km. The conflict was real, and the people of the interior villages lived through it. But it was largely confined to the remote forests and the border areas the state shares with Maharashtra, Odisha and Telangana. It was never where the tourists were.

Second, my own experience. I have been travelling to Bastar regularly since 2002. In all these years I have never faced a problem at any tourist place, and I do not know of a single tourist who was harmed by the extremist groups.

Third, even that chapter is now closing. The central government had set 31 March 2026 as its deadline to end left-wing extremism, and in May 2026 the Union Home Minister announced in Jagdalpur that Bastar is Naxal-free. The government is now promoting the region actively.

The misconception is not limited to Bastar. I am often asked about Raipur: “My flight lands at 8 PM. Will it be safe to travel to the hotel?” I cannot help smiling. Yes, it will. Raipur is a busy state capital like any other.

Let me share one incident. In June 2016, we were launching the Chhattisgarh chapter of the Association of Domestic Tour Operators of India (ADTOI). About 40 travel agents from across the country came to Raipur, and we had planned to take them to Jagdalpur for a couple of nights. They had the same apprehension. I remember some of them posting on Facebook, “Going to Bastar”, with icons of bombs, guns and knives. The very next day, their posts had changed: lovely roads, amazing beauty, mesmerising waterfalls.

That is what a visit does. Your apprehensions change when you see the reality for yourself.

So here is my answer. Yes, it is safe to visit Chhattisgarh. Yes, it is safe to visit Bastar. As with any forested region, go beyond the established circuit with people who know the ground. I invite you to come, experience it for yourself, and then tell others what you found.