Karnataka’s first elephant overpass on Kanakapura Road now operational 

A first-of-its-kind elephant overpass in Karnataka recently became operational to enable the safe crossing of the jumbos from the Bannerghatta National Park to Savandurga forest.

A first-of-its-kind elephant overpass in Karnataka recently became operational to enable the safe crossing of the jumbos from the Bannerghatta National Park to Savandurga forest.

The overpass measuring 40 metres in width and 45 metres in length on Kanakapura Road (National Highway 209) is located next to the Roerich and Devikarani Roerich Estate on the outskirts of Bengaluru.

Elephants are said to traditionally cross from the Bannerghatta National Park to Savandurga forest using this stretch of the corridor, which has been broken by various development works and other human activity.

Following the widening of the Bengaluru-Kanakapura road into a four-lane highway, the Karnataka Forest Department had proposed an elephant overpass to ensure the safe crossing of wild animals.

“While the Bengaluru-Kanakapura road was being widened, we had in 2017 proposed before the National Highways Authority of India to ensure that there is a safe passage to be made for the elephants to cross to the road. Initially, an underpass was mooted but that was not found to be feasible and an overpass has now been built and it has become functional. It is the first of its kind in the State,” N. Ravindra Kumar, Deputy Conservator of Forest, Bengaluru Urban, told The Hindu.

Mr. Kumar said traditionally elephants have been using this path to cross from Bannerghatta to B.M. Kaval and from there to Savandurga forest. However, following the expansion of the highway, this path was disturbed.

“This is an elephant corridor and they have used this path to cross from one side to the other. Following the expansion of the road and an increase in the density of traffic there were a few hurdles. A couple of years ago, an elephant was killed after it was hit by a BMTC bus,” Mr. Kumar said.