The Union Ministry of Road and Transport, has argued that using alternative route because of the ban on night traffic on NH 766 passing through Bandipur National Park results in “avoidable consumption of fuel” and is a “huge import burden for the country”.
The traffic is banned on the highway from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. to avoid road kills and reduce disturbance to wildlife.
- Night traffic is banned on NH 766 passing through Bandipur National Park
- Union Ministry of Road and Transport says using the alternative route, which is 35 km longer, “will result in avoidable consumption of fuel’
- It has proposed ‘mitigatory’ measures including flyovers in five sections of 1-km length each along the 25-km stretch passing through the national park
- The ministry has also proposed widening of the highway
- The tentative cost of the proposed project has been pegged at ₹460 cr.
- The Union ministry has sought the State govt.’s consent for the proposal ‘immediately’
The ministry also proposes what it called “mitigatory” measures by elevation of the road alignment in five sections of 1-km length each along the 25-km stretch passing through the national park. The existing road under the proposed elevated sections would be milled to convert it into forest landscape to ease the movement of wildlife.
The highway, as per the ministry’s proposal, should also be widened to 15 m, including a 10 m carriage way for the two-lane highway instead of 7 m now, all of which have been criticised by wildlife activists.
In a letter dated July 21, 2018, written to the State government, the Union ministry has shared its views on lifting the ban on night traffic through Bandipur, stating that it is a “good case” for 24x7x365 days of operations with adequate mitigatory measures.
The letter seeks the State government’s consent for the proposal “immediately” so that it could be submitted to the Supreme Court. The tentative cost of the proposed project has been pegged at ₹460 crore.
The ministry’s argument that the alternative road being 35 km longer “would certainly result in avoidable consumption of fuel and was a huge import burden for the country” has invited derision.
Activists seek answers
Activists have questioned the ministry whether it can reduce emissions and import burden on the country by opening the highway for night traffic through Bandipur.
Karnataka introduced a ban on night traffic through Bandipur in 2009 to reduce road kills and disturbance to wildlife and the decision was challenged in the High Court of Karnataka, which upheld the move.
The alternative road (Hunsur–Gonikoppa–Kutta–Mananthavady) was developed by Karnataka by spending ₹75 crore based on the request made by Kerala in Karnataka High Courts. But those lobbying for opening the road approached the Supreme Court, which has constituted a committee to examine the issue.
Based on a field visit by all the stakeholders to Bandipur early this year, the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) submitted a report calling for maintaining status quo : that is to retain the existing restriction on movement of traffic at night through Bandiput until the apex court’s final decision.
The NTCA report also states that all arguments, including convoy system, elevated highway, etc. have been argued in the High Court of Karnataka and the alternative road was satisfactory and has not caused hardship to passengers or goods transporters.
The Union ministry’s letter to the State government, however, has ignored all these aspects.
