Shivamogga: Shivamogga MP BY Raghavendra on Wednesday announced the Agumbe Ghat road development project, noting that the Union govt initiated the process to prepare a Detailed Project Report (DPR) to upgrade a 20-km stretch of National Highway-169A passing through Agumbe Ghat, the core of the Agumbe rainforest. The DPR will also look into building a tunnel bypass.Rs 2.3 crore was sanctioned for the preparation of DPR, which will explore feasibility for a tunnel bypass and geotechnical surveys. The DPR will also look into building a tunnel bypass.
The MP argued that this project was a crucial step towards finding a permanent solution to the dangerous travel conditions people faced for decades, ultimately boosting connectivity, safety, trade, and tourism between the Malnad and coastal regions. Agumbe Ghat road connects Shivamogga with Mangaluru.He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union road surface transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari okayed the proposal.However, the announcement sparked immediate backlash from environmentalists, with Nagaraj Koove issuing a stern warning against the project. He urged the govt to scrap the idea of building a tunnel road and a two-lane expansion to protect the habitat of the king cobra and the livelihoods of local residents.He said that Agumbe Ghat passes through the Someshwara Wildlife Sanctuary, a biodiversity hotspot, which is home to rare species like the king cobra and the lion-tailed macaque. Koove argued that the dense forests and streams in this region are vital, and that any disruption to this ecosystem would have catastrophic effects on the region’s rainfall and agriculture.He warned that the fragile geological structure of Agumbe cannot withstand heavy machinery and tunnelling.He highlighted a unique cultural aspect, as the local people revere the King Cobra and avoid entering deep forests out of religious respect. Disrupting this habitat could lead to unprecedented human-wildlife conflict, driving snakes and other wild animals into residential areas.
