Bandipur tunnel proposal rekindles debate on conservation versus connectivity

The Union government’s decision to study the feasibility of a tunnel road bypassing the Bandipur Tiger Reserve has reopened the long-running debate over wildlife conservation and regional connectivity between Kerala and Karnataka. The proposed tunnel is being examined as a permanent alternative to the night traffic ban on NH-766, a restriction that has been in force for over 15 years.

Bandipur, a critical part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, is home to tigers, elephants, and several endangered species. The night travel ban was introduced in 2009 following concerns over frequent wildlife deaths due to speeding vehicles. Conservationists have since hailed the move as a landmark decision that significantly reduced animal fatalities and human-wildlife conflict.

However, political representatives and trade bodies from Kerala have repeatedly argued that the ban has severely affected economic activity in districts such as Wayanad, Kozhikode, and Malappuram. Night-time restrictions have disrupted the movement of perishable goods, tourist traffic, and emergency medical services, prompting demands for a sustainable alternative rather than a rollback of the ban.

Responding to these concerns, Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari has constituted a Joint Task Force to evaluate the tunnel road option. The task force will study engineering challenges, environmental risks, financial viability, and long-term benefits, particularly whether a tunnel can effectively eliminate surface-level disturbance in the forest zone.

Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi has played a key role in reviving the proposal, engaging with the Centre through letters and direct meetings. She has argued that a tunnel road could protect wildlife while ensuring uninterrupted connectivity, calling it a “balanced and scientific solution” to a decades-old problem.

The proposal also echoes demands raised earlier by Rahul Gandhi, who had flagged the issue in Parliament during his tenure as MP, seeking a development model that did not compromise environmental safeguards.

Alongside the tunnel study, the Centre has sanctioned ₹105 crore for road infrastructure development in Wayanad and taken steps to address recurring landslides at Thamarassery Pass, a critical access route to the hill district.

Despite these developments, environmental activists warn that large-scale tunnelling in ecologically fragile zones carries its own risks, including groundwater disruption and habitat stress. They insist that any decision must be guided strictly by scientific evidence.

As the Joint Task Force begins its assessment, the Bandipur tunnel proposal stands at the intersection of conservation ethics and development politics, with its final outcome likely to shape the future of eco-sensitive infrastructure planning in India.