Kushalnagar, Nov. 15 – Following the State Wildlife Board’s Standing Committee approval, the State Government has now submitted documents to the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) seeking clearance for the National Highways Authority of India’s (NHAI) 92.3-km Mysuru-Kushalnagar Access-Controlled Highway project.
The NHAI has sought diversion of about 54 hectares of land within the Eco-Sensitive Zone of Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary and the buffer zone of Nagarahole Tiger Reserve.
The two proposals were cleared at a meeting chaired by Forest Minister Eshwar B. Khandre recently. NBWL Standing Committee clearance is mandatory as the project touches wildlife sanctuaries and a tiger reserve.
The Rs. 4,126-crore four-lane Highway, designated as National Highway-275, will serve as an alternative to the existing two-lane Mysuru-Madikeri Road, which is choked with heavy vehicle density. Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for the project in Mandya on Mar. 12, 2023.
Updates from MP and former MP
Former Mysuru-Kodagu MP Prathap Simha, who initiated the project during his tenure, took to social media after the State Wildlife Board’s nod:
“Forest Department clearance has been obtained and Rs. 45 crore paid for the Mysuru-Kushalnagar four-lane Highway. Work on the 22.7-km stretch from Hemmige (Hunsur taluk) to Basavanahalli (Kushalnagar) will begin soon,” he stated.
Continuing efforts to push the project forward, current MP Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar recently met Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari, urging early intervention to resolve issues relating to forest clearance and land acquisition under Package-2.
NHAI sources confirmed to Star of Mysore that the State Government has submitted all required documents to the NBWL, a statutory Central body, for clearance.
Central approval crucial
Since the project involves forest land, NBWL approval is mandatory. The Board meets monthly and with the November session concluded, the proposal is expected to be taken up during its December meeting.
As the Highway alignment skirts Nagarahole Tiger Reserve, direct approval may not come without expert review, sources said. They added that the NBWL is likely to refer the proposal to the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) for assessment.
The NBWL will consider NTCA’s recommendations before issuing the work order. NTCA may also carry out a field visit to study the alignment, its impact on tiger habitats and feasibility, sources said.
Detailed study already done
However, Nagarahole Tiger Reserve Director P.A. Seema noted that a fresh NTCA field visit may not be needed.
“The Wildlife Warden, under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), has already conducted a detailed field study and submitted a comprehensive report, which has been forwarded by the State Government to the NBWL,” she explained.
She clarified that the proposed road passes only through 1.25-km inside the buffer zone of Nagarahole Tiger Reserve, not its core forest area.
“The route runs through settlement zones where land is already used for agriculture and habitation. Since it is not a core tiger habitat, NBWL clearance is expected to be relatively smooth,” she added.
Strict conditions for forest work
Swamy, Project Manager for Package-2, executed by DY-Uppar & Sons Construction Company, said working in forest zones comes with strict conditions. “We need formal permission and must follow all guidelines issued by the State and Central Forest Departments,” he said.
He listed the restrictions: “No construction or earth-moving work is allowed after 6 pm and parking of heavy vehicles in wildlife or buffer zones at night is banned. We will strictly comply once clearance is received.”
Swamy said, preparations for the project have been underway for two years. “Machinery, manpower and materials are ready. Work will start immediately after the work order is issued and the Highway should be completed within two years,” he said.
Of the total 22.7-km stretch under Package-2, 14.4-km passes through private land already acquired and levelled. The remaining 8.3-km falls under forest limits, awaiting NBWL approval. Levelling has been completed for about 10-km of the acquired portion.
Mysuru-Kushalnagar Highway: Five packages
Package I: A 22-km stretch from Kushalnagar to Madikeri is currently on hold, as the proposed alignment passes through dense forest areas and has not yet received clearance.
Package II: From Guddehosur to the Hassan-Periyapatna Road Junction. Length: 22.7-km.
Package III: From Hemmige village (Hassan-Periyapatna Road Junction) to Ramanathapura-Terakanambi Road / K.R. Nagar junction in Hunsur. Length: 24.1-km.
Package IV: From Ramanathapura-Terakanambi Road / K.R. Nagar Junction to Yalachahalli, near Yelwal-K.R. Nagar Road Junction. Length: 26.5-km.
Package V: From Yalachahalli to Srirangapatna bypass near Paschimavahini. Length: 19-km.
This post was published on November 15, 2025 6:21 pm