MYSURU: To ensure the safe movement of wild animals, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has undertaken construction of two dedicated wildlife underpasses along the Mysuru–Bengaluru access-controlled NH 275. These underpasses are being built at Gowdahalli village in Srirangapatna taluk and Hanakere village in Mandya taluk.
Wildlife underpasses and overpasses are designed to facilitate safe animal movements, reduce habitat fragmentations and minimise animal-vehicle collisions. In addition, large fences have been installed along the roadside to prevent animals from straying onto the main carriageway.
For the project, the NHAI has used up 20.85 hectares of forest land in Bengaluru South district and 8.42 hectares in Mandya district. In November 2025, a leopard was killed on the service road of the Mysuru–Bengaluru highway near Subbanakuppe Junction at K Shettihalli in Srirangapatna taluk after being hit by a speeding vehicle while crossing the road.
According to an NHAI official, several measures to reduce accidents involving wild animals have already been implemented along the highway. These include underpasses at Mayaganahalli in Ramanagara taluk and at Kethohalli in Ramanagara taluk and an overpass near Subbanakuppe in Srirangapatna taluk. However, work on the approach roads for the overpass is pending forest clearance. Another wildlife underpass has also been constructed at M Shettihalli village in Srirangapatna taluk.
Construction of underpasses at Gowdahalli and Hanakere started in January 2026 and is scheduled for completion within two years.