Karnataka will establish a 5,000-acre elephant soft-release centre near Tyagadabagilu in Tarikere taluk and build rail barricades along a 20-km stretch in Chikkamagaluru district to reduce human-elephant conflict, forest minister Ramalinga Reddy announced on Tuesday. The measures are intended to prevent elephants from entering villages, limit crop damage and protect residents from attacks.
The proposed centre will hold aggressive wild elephants captured after straying into human settlements. According to the minister, the animals will receive fodder and water and will be gradually acclimatised before being released into the forest. The facility is planned as a transitional space to help elephants return to the wild rather than as a permanent captivity centre.
The tender process for basic infrastructure at the site has been completed. The planned works include elephant-proof trenches, kraals and fodder plots. The location is near Tyagadabagilu in Tarikere taluk, one of the areas affected by recurring encounters between elephants and people.
Reddy made the announcement after inaugurating the Kirti Chakra Shri P Srinivas Forest Complex in Chikkamagaluru city. Built at a cost of Rs 10 crore, the two-storey complex brings forest department offices that were previously scattered across the district under one roof.
Chikkamagaluru has recorded more than 15 deaths in elephant and gaur attacks over the past two years, according to forest officials. Farmers in Tarikere, Kadur and Ajjampura taluks have also reported crop losses linked to wildlife movement. The proposed rail barricades are intended to restrict elephant movement into vulnerable areas, while the department also plans to develop an elephant corridor to support movement through forested land.
The corridor proposal has a direct land-use implication because private properties fall within the identified route. Officials have been instructed to prepare a plan for acquiring affected land or providing alternative land to property owners, the minister said. The implementation details, including the properties involved and the compensation or relocation framework, were not specified in the announcement.
Four elephant task forces are currently operating in the district. A proposal to establish four additional task forces has been submitted and is awaiting approval. The department is also nearing completion of a joint survey of forest and revenue lands. The remaining survey work, delayed by a shortage of surveyors in some areas, is expected to be completed within two to three months to address farmers’ grievances. Work on the 20-km rail barricades is scheduled to begin shortly.
