Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Cabinet has sanctioned Rs.250 crore for the controversial flyover or elevated corridors over Bandipur Tiger Reserve, a project that has been opposed by Karnataka Government and environmentalists.
At the Cabinet meeting held yesterday that was chaired by Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, the Kerala Government decided to sanction the money for the project and at the same time, bring this to the notice of the Supreme Court.
Since 2010, Karnataka has been opposing lifting of the night traffic ban while Kerala has been putting pressure on Karnataka. Although successive CMs — B.S. Yeddyurappa, D.V. Sadananda Gowda, Jagadish Shettar, Siddharamaiah and H.D. Kumaraswamy — have resisted this move, the Centre continues to put enormous pressure on Karnataka under Kerala’s influence.
Karnataka introduced a ban on night traffic through Bandipur in 2009 and the decision was challenged in the High Court of Karnataka which upheld the move.
The issue is before the Supreme Court now. The SC has constituted a Committee to examine the issue. The Committee has asked Karnataka and Kerala to arrive at a consensus and find an amicable solution for the unhindered movement of wild animals, and to adopt security measures on the highway such as forest fencing.
Apart from raising the issue of the ecological damage, the Karnataka Government had apprehensions over the huge expenditure of constructing elevated corridors.
“As Karnataka had raised the money factor, the Kerala Government has sanctioned Rs.250 crore and the same has been approved by the Cabinet,” Kerala Transport Minister A.K. Saseendran told reporters after the Cabinet meeting. The total cost of the project is over Rs.500 crore.
The Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways had made a proposal to the Karnataka Government for the construction of five elevated sections of one-km length each with steel-wired 8-feet high fencing on both sides along the entire length to prevent animals from crossing. But the Karnataka Government rejected the proposal citing that it was not feasible.
Forest Department officials said that a night ban on vehicular traffic along the two National Highways (NH-67 and NH-212 – New NH 766) through Bandipur has saved many endangered wild animals.
As Kerala has been insisting on lifting night traffic ban, the Karnataka Government, based on Court orders has spent crores of rupees to improve the condition of alternative roads via Hunsur-Gonikoppa-Kutta-Manandawadi-Kattikkulam and via Konanur-Makutta and Madikeri-Kutta.
This post was published on December 1, 2018 6:57 pm