NHAI’s Greenfield Kushalanagar–Mysuru Greenfield Highway Project Cleared By Karnataka Wildlife Board: Report

In a key infrastructure push, the Standing Committee of the Karnataka State Wildlife Board on Wednesday (5 November) gave its approval to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) for the execution of the greenfield NH-75 project, which will connect Kushalanagar and Mysuru, reported The New Indian Express.

The 100 km stretch will be taken up in four stages.

To complete the project, NHAI has reportedly sought around 54 hectares of land falling within the eco-sensitive zone of the Ranganthittu Bird Sanctuary and the buffer zone of the Nagarhole Tiger Reserve.

The committee also cleared a Public Works Department (PWD) proposal to widen the existing road leading to the Sharavathi Lion Tailed Macaque Wildlife Sanctuary, aimed at improving connectivity for local residents.

“The two proposals were cleared at the board meeting chaired by Forest Minister Eshwar B Khandre. They will now go to the Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife for clearance as it involves wildlife sanctuaries and tiger reserves,” a source was quoted as saying in the TNIE report.

The source noted that the Sharavathi road widening project appears to be linked to the pumped storage hydroelectric project planned in the region.

Khandre agreed to recommend the release of 0.976 hectares of forest land in the Sharavathi valley to the National Wildlife Board.

The applications were made on the Parivesh portal in September, and will now be placed before the National Board for Wildlife Standing Committee, the minister said.

Both projects now await approval from the National Board for Wildlife, given their proximity to ecologically sensitive and protected habitats.

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