Supreme Court to hear plea against Bandipur Road night traffic ban today

Kozhikode: The Supreme Court would consider the petition of various groups against the eight-year-long night ban on vehicular traffic through the jungle regions of Kerala-Karnataka border on Wednesday.

The ban has hit public movement between northern Kerala and Karnataka (Mysore and Bangalore) through National Highway 766 (formerly NH 212). It may be recalled that Manoj Kumar Meena, Chamaraj Nagar district collector, had passed the ban orders on ‘night traffic’ through NH 766 (Kollegal - Kozhikode road) and NH 67 (Gundelpett-Ooty road), both passing through the Bandipur wildlife sanctuary, on June 3, 2009.

The ban affected people on both sides of the border, including students, patients, traders and farmers. Now the vehicles that do not cross the borders before 9 p.m. have to wait till 6 a.m. in the forest. However, the state government has roped in senior advocate Gopal Subramanyam to appear for it in the SC within two days.

The Nilgiri-Wayanad railway and national highway action council convener T.M. Rasheed told DC that the government should coordinate the potential of various like-minded groups that joined in the legal battle to ensure victory. “Karnataka and Tamil Nadu had supported the ban in the HC, which would make it tough for the state to convince the SC about the need for lifting the ban,” he added.

While the Tiger Conservation Authority under the union government supports the ban, the National Highway Authority wants the opening up of the jungle roads for traffic during night hours.