A newly asphalted road inside Karnataka’s Nagarhole Tiger Reserve has developed damage at about 50 locations within six months, prompting the Public Works Department to serve a notice on the contractor and begin repairs. PWD engineers attributed the deterioration along the route to heavy rainfall at certain locations, while villagers have questioned the quality and durability of the work.
The affected road runs for about 10 km from Udboor Gate to the Bavali checkpost inside H.D. Kote taluk. The route passes through the tiger reserve and connects areas used by villagers and travellers. According to the report, sections of the newly laid road have sunk, with damage visible at multiple points along the forest route.
A PWD engineer told Deccan Chronicle that a notice had been issued to the contractor over the damage. The engineer said heavy rainfall at certain locations had affected the newly asphalted road edges. The explanation comes even as Karnataka is experiencing deficit rainfall overall this year, a contrast that has drawn questions from residents living near the reserve.
Villagers from Machoor, located adjacent to the tiger reserve, have raised concerns over the quality of the road work. One villager said water holes inside Nagarhole were dry because of inadequate rainfall and questioned how rainfall could explain the damage. Another resident pointed to the speed restriction on the route, noting that signboards direct travellers to drive at 30 kmph between Udboor Gate and the Bavali checkpost.
The residents’ concerns focus on the short lifespan of the road and the nature of the repairs already visible. A traveller reported seeing gravel stones placed over damaged portions, but said the material had not been neatly rolled to make it firm. The observations could not independently establish whether construction quality, drainage, rainfall or a combination of factors caused the deterioration.
PWD engineers said repair work had begun on the affected portions of the road. The department’s explanation places the immediate responsibility for restoring the route with the contractor and the PWD, while the notice is expected to address the damage reported soon after completion of the asphalt work.
The road is also subject to the operating conditions of a protected forest landscape. A forest officer from Nagarhole Tiger Reserve said the road had been asphalted in accordance with forest guidelines. The statement indicates that road works inside the reserve are carried out within requirements set for the protected area, although the report does not provide details of the construction specification, drainage design, contractor agreement or inspection findings.
The PWD engineers further said another six-kilometre stretch inside the tiger reserve, along the Uboor Gate-to-Bavali checkpost route, urgently requires asphalt. The engineers expressed confidence that funds would be released to begin the additional work. The department’s next steps are the ongoing repairs to the damaged sections, action under the notice issued to the contractor and the proposed funding for the remaining stretch.
