Bengaluru-Kushalanagar highway to cut through Ranganthittu eco-sensitive zone

Bengaluru: The Bengaluru-Kushalnagar highway, an extended stretch of NH 275 that aims to bypass Mysuru, will cut through the eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) of the Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary, with the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) having obtained clearance for the project.

The National Board of Wildlife’s (NBWL) standing committee approved the proposal at its February 3 meeting after the chief wildlife warden, Karnataka, informed that the project was essential for enhancing road safety and reducing congestion.

Though the 650m stretch of the bypass highway is coming up in non-forest land and about 1 km away from the boundary of the sanctuary’s core area, wildlife officials have noted that it is passing through a fragile area.

The Zoological Survey of India, which conducted the field studies for the wildlife mitigation plan, has recorded 128 species of birds in the project area.

These include the endangered birds like Egyptian Vulture, Black-bellied Tern and several birds on the near-threatened list of the International Union for Conservation of Nature. A faunal survey at the landscape level recorded 14 mammals, from elephants, tigers and leopards to golden jackal and smooth-coated otter.

Prabhugoud I B, who took over as the Mysore Wildlife Division’s Deputy Conservator of Forests, had in 2024 ordered the NHAI contractor to suspend the work after it was found that no clearances were received from the NBWL. The February 3 clearance from the NBWL directs the authorities to adopt a mitigation plan to reduce any impact on the wildlife.

To a question, Prabhugoud said the final mitigation plan covers over 1 km additional stretch on both sides of the 650m stretch passing through the ESZ.

“The measures include animal passages, no-man zone in areas passing over canals, a green belt of about 10m width, where three rows of trees will act as natural noise and light barrier on a total of 3 km stretch and comprehensive measures to prevent eateries in the area, installing signage for road users against throwing waste of stopping the vehicles in the area,” he said.

Earlier, for over a year in 2019-2020, the NHAI had insisted that the road was not passing through the ESZ.

Following media reports over the concerns, forest officers had in 2019 had asked the NHAI for clarification on the matter.

The ESZ monitoring committee noted that the National Highway Authority in its report dated 18.08.2020, stated that NH-275 was “not passing through the ESZ” of the Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary. After a detailed discussion with the special land acquisition officer, the NHAI authorities admitted that the road was passing close to the border of the ESZ.

“But on detailed verification of the boundary of the ESZ as per the boundary description mentioned in the Gazette notification, it was found that the proposed NH 275 was passing through the ESZ,” the minutes of the meeting of the monitoring committee noted, adding that the NHAI was directed to drop the project.

NHAI convinced the authorities by stating that the bypass project was necessary in view of the heavy traffic and the difficulty in making the highway four-lane in the city limit.

The authority had commenced the work after getting clearance from the monitoring committee. Officials were told to suspend the work till they get clearance from the NBWL.