New Delhi/ Mysuru: The Centre has decided to construct an underground tunnel to connect Mysuru and Kerala via the Bandipur Tiger Reserve.
Since 2009, Kerala has been demanding Karnataka to lift the night ban imposed on the entry and exit of vehicles via the Tiger Reserve from 9 pm to 6 am. The ban, according to Kerala government, has hampered the State’s economy. At present, there is a ban on night traffic on NH-212 that connects Karnataka to Kerala via Gundlupet in Chamarajanagar and on NH-67 that links Karnataka to Tamil Nadu.
In view of the night traffic ban, the Centre has decided to find an alternative to connect Karnataka and Kerala through a tunnel without disturbing the flora and fauna. The distance between Bandipur and Sultan Batheri in Kerala is about 36 kilometres and the tunnel will be constructed only in the forest area.
Before clearing the ecologically high-impact project, the Centre will constitute a technical committee comprising experts and environmentalists to study the pros and cons of the project. The committee will also collect opinions from Karnataka and Kerala on the ecological impact and benefits of such a project.
The Centre has expressed its desire to construct the tunnel before the Supreme Court yesterday and Attorney General K.K. Venugopal made the submission before a Division Bench. Venugopal told the Bench that the exact distance of the tunnel will be known only after the technical committee submits its report.
Hearing the Attorney General’s submission, the SC Bench asked him to direct the Centre to constitute the technical committee within four weeks and ask it to submit its report by the end of July this year.
The Centre has decided to construct the tunnel only at the place where the animal concentration is less and parts of the Bandipur Sanctuary will be used for the purpose.
While there have been road kills since the ban on night traffic was imposed, they have come down drastically even as Bandipur and Nagarahole helped Mysuru achieve the distinction of being the tiger capital of the world. Apart from a significant decrease in the number of fatalities, the ban has allowed wild animals their space, said Forest Department officers.
They said that number of road kills may be underestimated as many injured animals drag themselves off to die in the nearby shrubbery. Some carcasses are scavenged by other animals, which also fall prey to speeding vehicles. The total number of animals being killed on roads running through Bandipur and Nagarahole is unknown.
Even if the proposed tunnel is burrowed using hi-tech tunnel boring machines there will be significant noise and vibrations that the wildlife will be scared of. When animals can sense vibrations many kilometres away the tunnelling machinery will sound like a mega earthquake to them. Then there will be a significant impact on both the flora and fauna if this is ever implemented. Wildlife will start relocating themselves to move away from the scary sounds and increase both animal-animal and man-animal conflict thereby contributing to increased deaths.
You are absolutely right! Hope some countries that have already addressed issues like this are consulted prior to the undertaking!
Dear Editor,
Very good suggestion, an elevated corridor with a good height is the answer like the bridges over the sea in Mumbai, Bahrain, etc. It could be done along the same present path with expansion and on International standards with a two way traffic with emerging points at points to the Bandipur guest house and villages on the way. And Small in between tunnels if one meets a hill in between. I have seen a lot of these in Mountainous areas in many parts of the world. Get the experts to work on a plan and then release the money and have a separate body , committee of engineers and Forest Dept officials responsible. Get a corridor with under passes for Animal crossings is the answer. A tunnel that long will remain a dream if it could be done. Night traffic should be resumed and strict monitoring of speed limits and pouching.
Please NO Tunnel and Don’t Lift the Vehicle Ban.Please Leave the Animals to Live Peacefully.
Very good suggestion. Implement it as early as possible.
Good