The State government may have to seek alternatives for lifting the night traffic ban through the Bandipur Tiger Reserve with the Centre declining the proposal to construct five one-km elevated sections on National Highway 766.
The development comes after Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Mahesh Sharma, in reply to an unstarred question in the Rajya Sabha by M.P. Veerendrakumar, said the Ministry had not concurred with the project for an elevated road over Bandipur.
He also stated that Karnataka had opposed any construction or opening up of the road during night hours.
However, Minister for Transport A.K. Saseendran told The Hindu on Thursday that the State government had still hopes for a favourable verdict from the Supreme Court since the proposal submitted by the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) was still pending with it. The proposal was to construct five elevated sections, of which four will be in Bandipur and one in Wayanad on the highway.
Safe movement
He said the Supreme Court-appointed committee had suggested this measure to maintain continuity of the forest for the safe movement of wildlife. “The statement of the Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in the Rajya Sabha was its declared stand as well as that of the Karantaka government and the wildlife activists in that State,” he said.
Mr. Saseendran said Kerala had decided to share share 50% of the ₹500 crore for constructing the elevated sections. Besides, the Supreme Court is yet to give its decision on a proposal to start a limited number of State-owned transport services during the restrictions between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. through Bandipur.
Alternative route
Interestingly, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change had suggested strengthening of the alternative route passing through Thithimati-Gonikoppa-Kutta. Also, ecogroups in Karntaka wanted its government to withdraw the affidavit submitted by the MoRTH in this regard.
The State government may have to wait for the apex court's decision since it believes that NH 766, along with NH 181, is an important carriageway for Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu. The pending proposal is the only way to circumvent the nine-year-old ban which has been causing inconvenience to those travelling by road between Karnataka and Kerala.