Less than 100 metres wide at many stretches, can the Bannerghatta National Park (BNP) accommodate a massive six-lane flyover without posing a severe threat to its wildlife and ecosystem? Its buffer zone already shrunk, can the endangered green space be protected from the latest onslaught by exploring alternative alignments to the proposed Satellite Township Ring Road (STRR)?
Planned to be built on the 3.85km stretch of the existing road linking Bannerghatta and Jigani Road, the flyover project has unleashed a storm of concern among environmentalists and wildlife conservationists. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) says it will install effective noise barriers and restrict construction hours. But will these be enough to address the grave risks posed both in the short and long terms?
