Hyderabad: Despite the State Board for Wildlife rejecting an earlier proposal, the Roads and Buildings department is now proposing a new elevated road project from Mannanur to Domalpenta through the Amrabad Tiger Reserve (ATR) limits. With the tiger population increasing in ATR limits, there are apprehensions that the project could cast an adverse impact on their movement.With vehicular traffic towards Srisailam increasing considerably and also the time being taken to pass through the ghat section going up, the R&B department in the past had proposed to widen the existing road from Mannanur to Domalpenta. However, considering the impact on wildlife and destruction of biodiversity, the State Board for Wildlife had rejected the proposal, said a forest official.
Now, the R&B department is planning to construct an elevated corridor on the route to facilitate smooth flow of traffic. The elevated corridor is being proposed from Brahmanpally to Domalpenta covering about 42 km.
During a press conference at the Secretariat, R&B Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy said the elevated corridor project on the Srisailam road was discussed with union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari. Accordingly, the NHAI was directed to prepare Detailed Project Report (DPR) with single pillar corridor covering 62 km. The estimated cost of the project was Rs.7,000 crore and as ATR was a reserved forest area, widening the existing road was ruled out, he said.
“The DPR will be prepared in a year. Once it is sanctioned, the journey towards Rayalaseema from Hyderabad will be cut down and it will be convenient for devotees heading to Srisailam as well,” Komatireddy Venkat Reddy said.
Initially, the department had proposed conventional concrete bridge construction as part of the elevated corridor. But the forest department as a means to expedite the project is insisting on installation of precast steel bridge blocks. After the final DPR is prepared, it would be sent for National Board for Wildlife for approval. Post the approval, the NHAI and R&B would be permitted to commence the works, the forest official said.
On the adverse impact of the proposed project on wildlife, especially tiger population, the forest official said initially for about three to four years, there would definitely be disturbance. But once the elevated corridor comes into operation, the wildlife movement would be comfortable and there would not be any accidents, the official defended the government’s move.
The Andhra Pradesh government is also planning to construct a cable bridge in their limits to avoid any disturbance to the wildlife and ensure free flow of traffic.
