How a highway construction through Bannerghatta National Park will damage the ecology?

The proposed six-lane flyover through the park in Bengaluru will fragment the habitat of endangered species and disrupt the ecological balance, warn activists and conservationists.

Bannerghatta National Park, one of the largest urban forests in India, is home to a rich biodiversity of flora and fauna, including elephants, tigers, leopards, sloth bears, and over 250 species of birds. The park also serves as a vital source of water for the city of Bengaluru and its surrounding areas.

However, this natural treasure is under threat from a proposed highway project that will cut through the park and create a six-lane flyover throughout 6.7 km. The project, which is part of the Peripheral Ring Road (PRR) plan, aims to ease the traffic congestion in the city and connect the major highways around it.

A large number of wild animals including elephants, leopards, tigers, and a variety of flora call Bannerghatta National Park home. The National Board of Wildlife (NBWL) has cleared the project, which diverts 27 acres 18 guntas of the park's core area and 14 acres in the buffer zone. The proposed flyover, aiming to address traffic concerns, could threaten the delicate ecosystem and disrupt the wildlife's natural habitat within the park.

Ecological impact

Activists and conservationists have raised serious concerns over the ecological impact of the highway project on the park and its wildlife. They claim that the project will fragment the habitat of the animals, especially the elephants, which have a large home range and need to move freely for food and water. The flyover will also create noise, air, and light pollution, which will disturb the natural behaviour and health of the animals.

According to a report by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), the project will affect 15% of the park’s area and 25% of its elephant habitat. The report also states that the project will force the animals to cross the highway or the flyover, leading to an increase in human-wildlife conflict, accidents, and deaths.

The project will also hurt the water resources and the climate of the region. The park acts as a catchment area for several streams and lakes that supply water to Bengaluru and its neighbouring districts. The construction of the flyover will damage the hydrology of the park and reduce the water availability. The park also acts as a carbon sink and a buffer against the urban heat island effect, which will be compromised by the project.

Flyover project harms Bengaluru’s environment

The city’s famed green cover and wildlife are in danger of being wiped out by a road-widening project that will cut through Bannerghatta National Park and other peripheral areas, according to a rapid environmental impact assessment (EIA) conducted by Azim Premji University.

The project, which is part of the Peripheral Ring Road (PRR) plan, aims to ease the traffic congestion in the city and connect the major highways around it. However, the project will have severe ecological and social impacts, such as:

• Health issues from increased air pollution
• Increased urban heat island effects
• Threat to lakes
• Loss of trees, especially many heritage trees
• Loss of urban biodiversity
• Threat to forest ecosystems
• Loss of spiritually-important ashwathkattes
• Reduction in carbon sequestration

Before the road project even started, people had already cut down many trees. For example, people chopped down 51 trees between Kanchugaranahalli and Jigani. But the actual count of trees marked for cutting seems way higher.

Authorities will cut 206 banyan trees in another area between Madure and Nelamangala. These trees are very old and big. Additionally, they will remove 15 sacred ashwathkattes, which are important for local residents.These are places with big peepal and neem trees that hold cultural and religious significance.

The road project will also harm wildlife and lakes. It will disturb animals like slender lorises, palm civets, and Indian jackals. And it will affect around 14 lakes, including big ones like Varthur and Madure kere.

Legal violations

Critics have also accused the highway project of violating several environmental laws and norms. The project has failed to obtain the necessary clearance from the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL), which any activity within 10 km of a protected area requires. The highway project has also not carried out a comprehensive Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) or a public consultation, both of which are crucial for any large-scale infrastructure project.

The project has also ignored the recommendations of the Supreme Court-appointed committee, which had suggested a 268 sq km eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) around the park to protect its ecology. The committee had also advised against any linear infrastructure projects within the ESZ. However, the state government has reduced the ESZ to 181 sq km and has allowed the highway project to proceed.

Public outcry

The highway project has faced a strong opposition from the public, especially the local communities living around the park. Several online petitions and campaigns have been launched to urge the authorities to scrap the project and save the park. Some of the prominent campaigns are:

• Save Bannerghatta, which has collected over 1.5 lakh signatures from citizens and celebrities.
• Bannerghatta Nature Walks, which organizes regular walks and awareness programs in the park to highlight its importance and beauty.
• United Conservation Movement, which has filed a petition in the National Green Tribunal (NGT) challenging the legality of the project.

The activists and conservationists have also appealed to the central government and the Prime Minister to intervene and stop the project. They have also suggested alternative routes and solutions for the traffic problem, such as improving the public transport system and promoting sustainable mobility.

Bengaluru is expanding into peripheral areas. Planners must plan such expansion with care. Instead of planning urban expansion to ensure enough greenery for people's health and wellbeing, projects like the proposed road expansion will destroy important essential patches of greenery. Planting saplings or transplanting trees cannot compensate for this loss.

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