The National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) has cleared the National Highways Authority of India’s (NHAI) 92.3-km Mysuru–Kushalnagar Access-Controlled Highway, enabling work to begin tomorrow from 8th December on the 22.7-km Package 2 between Basavanahalli and Periyapatana.
The ₹4,126-crore, four-lane project – designated as NH-275 – is divided into four packages, all of which have now secured National Board of Wildlife (NBWL) approval. The new corridor is designed to decongest the existing two-lane Mysuru -Madikeri Road. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had laid its foundation stone in Mandya on March 12, 2023.
Alignment up to Madikeri under scrutiny due to forest cover
The overall project comprises five segments, including a 22-km stretch from Kushalnagar to Madikeri. This first package remains under evaluation as its proposed alignment traverses extensive reserve forest areas, making it the most environmentally sensitive portion of the corridor.
Kodagu PWD (National Highways Division) Assistant Executive Engineer D. M. Girish said proposals are being prepared to widen the highway at Basavanahalli to ensure smoother traffic flow in Kushalnagar, Madikeri and surrounding areas. He added that the extension of the highway up to Madikeri is currently under consideration, and draft proposals will soon be submitted to the NHAI and the State Government. Feasible stretches for widening have already been identified.
On the environmentally delicate stretch between Kushalnagar and Madikeri, Kodagu DCF Abhishek noted that if the Forest Department is consulted during the preparation of the Detailed Project Report (DPR), it can assess the viability and process necessary approvals accordingly – a crucial step given the significant length of reserve forest along the proposed alignment.
