HYDERABAD: The Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has sought clearance of over 48.83 hectares inside the core area of Amrabad Tiger Reserve for the widening of National Highway-765. The NH passes through the reserve, connecting Hyderabad to Thokapally via Srisailam.
MoRTH in its justification has said that the existing highway which connects to Srisailam, a popular pilgrimage destination, is not up to the standards of NH. And that its up-gradation will benefit the public, especially on holidays when traffic swells up on the highway.
The proposal has enraged conservationists. Imran Siddiqui of Hyderabad Tiger Conservation Society, said, “If the highway is widened, it will cause irreversible damage to the tiger reserve and the entire ecosystem would get affected. This move is ridiculous, as there is hardly any traffic on the highway, except on the occasion of Mahashivaratri.”