BENGALURU: Even though the state wildlife board, chaired by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, has given approval for the construction of an elevated corridor through the Bannerghatta National Park (BNP), Public Works Department (PWD) officials said it will take at least three years for the Satellite Town Ring Road (STRR) project to be completed.
The officials said the delay in construction of STRR and the elevated corridor of the BNP will only escalate the project cost by a minimum of 10-15% annually, leaving aside the land acquisition cost. Officials are also concerned that the project will get further delayed due to financial constraints. “It is also likely that this could see the same fate as the Peripheral Ring Road (PRR), where a partial stretch has been completed -- called NICE Road -- and the rest is stuck in red tapism and land acquisition,” said a senior PWD official.
As per PWD records, the project was first conceptualised in 2017 and work on the drawing board started in 2018. Work on the ground started in 2020 and, so far, only 60 km has been completed.
“So far, work between Dobbaspet and Hoskote and from there to the Tamil Nadu side has been completed under the Greenfield project. Work on the rest is yet to be tendered. The detailed project report has been prepared. With every passing year, the project cost is escalating. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has been assigned the project,” said Principal Secretary, PWD, S Selvakumar.
He said if all goes well, then the project can be completed in three years and the elevated corridor work in eight months. He added that any civil project usually takes takes 18 months from tendering for execution and completion.
However, as per procedure, the elevated corridor proposal will now be tabled at the National Wildlife Board for scrutiny and approval. Dates and agenda of the next meeting is yet to be scheduled.
Conservationists and activists are pinning all hopes on this meeting for the project to be shelved as it will hamper the prime elephant corridor connecting Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
A conservationist said, “Even the Supreme Court has taken note of the shrinking elephant corridors and the rising man-elephant conflict. Construction of an elevated corridor will only make matters worse in these states where conflicts are on the rise. We are planning to approach the courts to get the project stayed.”
Urban activists also noted that the delay from the government in development of five satellite townships and PRR has impacted the development of Bengaluru. Because of this, the last remaining lung spaces, including a national park, is facing threats.