Improper Underpasses, Wildlife Corridors On Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway Affects Elephants Crossings

BENGALURU: The Expressway between Bengaluru and Mysuru constructed by National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) aimed at cutting down on travel time between the two cities which are about 140- km apart but the Expressway cut the traditional route used by elephants to cross from Kanakapura region to Magadi region in Bengaluru South district leading to spike in man-elephant conflicts.

The Expressway was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in March, 2023 ahead of Assembly elections in Karnataka. The construction of underpasses, overpasses and wildlife corridors were suggested by forest officials to NHAI officials as a remedial measure on Expressway.

Forest officials brought to the notice of Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar at the State Wildlife Board meeting held in Bengaluru on Tuesday said that certain conditions were imposed on NHAI by the department asking officials of Highways Authority to construct underpasses, overpasses and wildlife corridors at convenient locations for unrestricted movement of elephants/leopards among other wild animals.

Forest officials pointed out to CM “the improper works on underpasses, overpasses and wildlife corridors along the Expressway affect the movement of elephants in particular and obstruction to their movements made them stray to villages and towns.

Recently, a wild elephant strayed into Channapatna town of Bengaluru South district and created fear among the residents. A wildlife activist told Deccan Chronicle elephants crossed from Kanakapura region to move towards Magadi to the north and travelled to Tumakuru but nowadays the construction of Expressway hindered their movement to a considerable extent and elephants have their route blocked making them to stray to villages in search of their traditional routes.

Owing to blocked routes, the activist said, elephants’ movements are restricted to Channapatna and Ramanagar regions, escalating man-animal encounters.