Mysore: The much touted Chamundi Hill Road development works that was to be taken up at an estimated cost of Rs. 34.25 crore, is now in a limbo due to opposition from environmentalists, who claim that the project will result in the felling of a large number of trees.

The Congress Government headed by Siddharamaiah had conceived the project in 2015, following which the PWD Executive Engineer’s office had prepared a Rs. 34.25 crore estimate and submitted the same to the Superintending Engineer’ office.

The works included conversion of the hill road on the stretch from Nandi statue to Mahishasura statue atop the hill (Rs.5.75 crore), construction of retaining wall, storm water drain and footpath along the main road (Rs. 7 crore), construction of retaining wall and storm water drain along new Nandi Statue Road (Rs. 2.5 crore), development of old Nandi Road (Rs. 4 crore), construction of retaining wall on Jwalamukhi Road (Rs. 4.75 crore), development of Venkatasubba Rao Road (Rs. 3 crore), development of Konanere Road (Rs. 3.65 crore), development of Hukkeri Road (Rs. 2.5 crore) and development of Bull View Road (Rs. 1.1 crore) and other minor works.

As the 8.2 km-long Chamundi Hill Road was an important district road, the PWD authorities in their proposal, had stressed on the need to convert the stretch from Nandi Statue to Mahishasura Statue in order to avoid traffic congestion, especially on Fridays, weekends and other public holidays.

They had also proposed the construction of a concrete retaining wall by demolishing the existing one which is constructed with mud and boulders.

Soon as the proposal came up, environmentalists raised a hue and cry, saying that the project was going to alter the ecology of the eco-sensitive area, following which the then PWD Minister had arranged a power-point presentation to convince the environmentalists.

But the environmentalists stuck to their argument and strongly opposed the project, which forced the government to keep the project pending, according to the officials.