Central Government Gives In To Public Pressure, Says No To Elevated Corridor At Bandipur National Park

Environmentalists and activists who have been for long protesting against the proposed elevated corridor passing through the Bandipur National Park in Karnataka have claimed victory after the Central Government said no to the project.

Mahesh Sharma, MoS Environment Forests and Climate Change said the corridor which comprises of elevated structures at four regular intervals, as suggested by the Union Ministry of Road Transport, has not been concurred with.

Responding to MP Veerendra Kumar in the Rajya Sabha on Monday, Sharma also pointed out the objection raised by the state government against the construction and a proposal to open the road for night traffic.

¡°The government of Karnataka had opposed construction of the road or lifting of the nine-hour night traffic ban on NH-212, which passes through Bandipur Tiger Reserve. In fact, we have suggested strengthening the alternative route passing through Thithimathi-Gonikoppal-Kutta.¡± the minister said.

Last week the Kumaraswamy government had told the Supreme Court that any construction in the national park, which also comprises of the Bandipur Tiger Reserve could harm a range of animals including Asiatic elephants, tigers and others.

Amid the massive protests across Karnataka in October, CM Kumaraswamy had reiterated his government's position saying that his government will oppose the flyover adding that his government was committed or conserving nature.

Citizen groups and activists had launched on the ground and online campaigns against the proposed construction with #noelevatedhighway and #nighttrafficbeda on social media.

Bengaluru-based environmentalist and urban conservationist who was one of the lead campaigners said it was a significant victory for the environment.

"We have been campaigning for sometime against the elevated corridor. But this time around we managed to get much public support to the cause. Our online signature campaign has more than 30,000 signatures in less than two days. We were continuously applying pressure and had warned that there will be mass protests if they go ahead with this. I am happy that the government listened to us," Nishanth told Indiatimes.

He said that if the elevated corridors were built it would have blocked key animal crossings, which they have used for generations.

"This elevated corridor was not a feasible to start with. It would have reversed whatever the state had achieved in wildlife conservation over the past two decades. Currently, there are over 100 tigers in the Bandipur Tiger Reserve. Just imagine what is going to happen to them if their habitat gets split in half because of the roads?," he explained.

More than Karnataka, the elevated corridor and night traffic through Bandipur Tiger Reserve was a demand from neighbouring Kerala. The road northern Kerala with major cities in Karnataka.

Night traffic was banned on the 25 km stretch of National Highway 212 in the Bandipur Tiger Reserve corridor since 2009 after a Karnataka High Court order citing a rising number of wild animal deaths.

At least 215 animals were killed between 2004 and 2007 in the region after they were run over by a speeding vehicle at night.

"The resumption of night traffic would have been disastrous. Ever since it was stopped the animal movement through the corridors have increased. Now you cannot block these routes and expect the animals to find ways around it. The Thithimathi-Gonikoppal-Kutta road is already there and it is open for night traffic. Then why are you insisting on travelling through the national park in the night?," Nishanth asked.