Sat Mar 29 12:12:04 UTC 2025: ## Karnataka Faces Pressure to Lift Bandipur Night Traffic Ban
**Mysuru, March 29, 2025** – The Karnataka government is facing mounting pressure to lift a decade-old night traffic ban through the Bandipur National Park, a move that has sparked outrage among wildlife conservationists. The ban, upheld by both the High Court of Karnataka and the Supreme Court, has significantly reduced wildlife fatalities and habitat disturbance.
However, speculation is growing that the state government may succumb to pressure from Kerala, where senior political figures, including Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi, advocate for the ban’s removal. While Forest Minister Eshwar B. Khandre described the issue as “highly sensitive,” his statement suggesting a decision would be made after consulting the Chief Minister and legal experts fueled concerns. Although senior Forest Department officials deny any impending change, the perception of political pressure is strengthening.
Conservationists warn that lifting the ban would jeopardize decades of conservation efforts that have made Bandipur a thriving wildlife habitat. They plan to revive protests against the potential reversal of policy, arguing that the benefits of reduced wildlife fatalities and habitat protection outweigh the inconvenience of a longer alternative route. This alternative route, though 35 km longer, connects Hunsur, Gonikoppa, Kutta, Sultan Bathery and Moolehole with Wayanad, providing adequate connectivity.
Activists highlight that successive Karnataka governments, regardless of party affiliation, have resisted similar pressures from Kerala, including a previous request from Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan for tunnel roads and railway tracks through the park. They emphasize that political expediency should not outweigh the significant conservation achievements.
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