Ban on night traffic likely at MM Hills

The Chamarajanagar district administration is planning a night traffic ban, between 9 pm and 6 am, on National Highway-76 that passes through the Cauvery and Male Mahadeshwara Wildlife Sanctuaries.

A proposal has been sent to the state government in this regard and its order is awaited.

The Forest department’s additional secretary had written to Chamarajanagar Deputy Commissioner B B Kaveri on April 4, 2018 requesting the district administration to ban night traffic on the route to protect wild animals. He had also requested that the ban should be implemented in such a way that it does not affect the devotees visiting the hill shrine for Amavasya and other jatras.

In 2012, the State Wildlife Board had recommended a ban on traffic on a 14-km stretch from Talabetta Cross to Asthuru Cross in MM Wildlife Sanctuary and 33-km stretch from Palar Cross to Alambadi Cross in the Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary.

The authorities are also planning to ban only outside vehicles and issue vehicle passes to local vehicles plying between the villages. There are also plans to set up checkposts at Koudalli, Garikekandi and Ramapura. This will also check poaching cases, opine the officials.