After Flyover, Now A Tunnel Road Proposed Via Bandipur

BENGALUR: A few years ago, the construction of a flyover in the Maddur and Moolehole ranges of the Bandipur Tiger Reserve was proposed and the proposal faced opposition from wildlife lovers. Now, Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari is considering a tunnel road on National Highway 766 in these two districts to facilitate 24-hour travel between Karnataka and Kerala.

The tunnel proposal came from the Union Minister to address the frustrations of transporters, especially from Kerala, regarding 24×7 vehicle movement. NH-766 connects Gundlupet in Chamarajnagar to Kerala via Bandipur Tiger Reserve and the Karnataka government has banned vehicular movement from dusk to dawn (6 pm to 6 am) to prevent wild animals from being killed on roads.

In a letter to Lok Sabha member Priyanka Gandhi, representing the Wayanad parliamentary seat in Kerala, Gadikari suggested the construction of a tunnel road through Bandipur to pave the way for unhindered vehicular movement between the two States.

However, the proposal faced stiff opposition from wildlife lovers, environmentalists and farmers in Karnataka. “Right after the Kerala Assembly elections, this is a drama (road tunnel proposal) and the proposal is a ploy to influence voters,” said journalist and wildlife activist Joseph Hoover.

Instead of suggesting a tunnel road, Hoover asked Union Minister Gadikari to build hospitals, schools, colleges, public transport and basic amenities but not try to damage the environment in Bandipur, a critical tiger habitat.

Wildlife photographer of Gundlupet RK Madhu opposed the road tunnel construction as a threat to wildlife and stated that the tunnel boring machine is huge in size and consumes huge amount of power and water during construction. It also causes noise pollution to disturb wildlife in Bandipur.

“The tunnel route requires ventilation and installation of exhaust fans, all of which pose a threat to the environment,” the wildlife photographer said. Madhu expressed his fear that the tunnel road would affect the water flow to Bandipur, stating that the Moolehole River dries up every year during the summer months, and that the water flow of the Kapila River will decrease, which may pose a risk to wild animals.

Many farmer leaders (Honnur Prakash, Madrahalli Mahadevappa, Nagarjun Kumar) objected to the proposal.