A newly asphalted road inside Karnataka’s Nagarahole Tiger Reserve has developed damage at about 50 locations within six months, prompting the Public Works Department (PWD) to serve a notice on the contractor and begin repairs.
The approximately 10-km stretch runs from Udboor Gate to the Bavali checkpost in H.D. Kote taluk. PWD engineers in Mysuru attributed damage to portions of the road to heavy rainfall at certain locations, while villagers from nearby Machoor questioned the quality of work after the surface deteriorated before completing a year.
The damaged route passes through the tiger reserve and is used by travellers heading towards the Bavali checkpost. Signboards direct motorists to maintain a speed of 30 kmph between Udboor Gate and Bavali, according to a Machoor resident quoted in the report. The resident questioned how a newly asphalted road could deteriorate so quickly despite the speed restriction.
A PWD engineer told Deccan Chronicle that a notice had been served on the contractor over the damage. The engineer said heavy rainfall at certain locations had affected the newly asphalted edges of the road. The department has started repair work on the affected portions.
Villagers have raised concerns about whether the road was built to the required standard. One resident said water holes inside the tiger reserve were dry and questioned the explanation that rainfall had caused the damage. The report also recorded concerns about the quality of the works, including an allegation that they were substandard.
A traveller using the route said gravel had been placed over damaged sections but had not been neatly rolled to ensure that it remained firm. The condition of these temporary repairs could affect the road’s durability and the safety of vehicles using the forest route, although the report does not provide an assessment of the repaired sections by an independent agency.
A forest officer from Nagarahole Tiger Reserve said the road had been asphalted in accordance with forest guidelines. The statement places the work within the operational requirements of a protected area, where road construction and maintenance must account for forest regulations as well as transport needs.
The PWD engineers also said another six-km stretch inside the reserve, running via Uboor Gate to the Bavali checkpost, urgently requires asphalt. The officer expressed confidence that grants would be released to start the additional work. The department’s ongoing repairs and the proposed funding for the remaining stretch will determine how quickly road connectivity inside this section of the reserve is addressed.
