Nagarhole road damage has prompted repair work by the Public Works Department after a newly asphalted 10-km stretch inside the tiger reserve developed failures at about 50 locations within six months of construction. PWD engineers attributed the damage to heavy rainfall at certain points, while residents questioned the quality and durability of the work.
The affected road runs from Udboor Gate to the Bavali checkpost inside Nagarahole Tiger Reserve in H.D. Kote taluk. The route passes through a forest area and connects locations used by villagers and travellers. According to the report, the road was asphalted approximately six months ago.
A PWD engineer told Deccan Chronicle that a notice had been served on the contractor following the damage. The engineer said heavy rainfall at certain locations had damaged the newly asphalted edges of the road. The explanation comes as Karnataka is experiencing deficit rainfall overall this year, although officials said some parts of the road had received heavy rain.
The damage has led to questions from residents of Machoor, a village adjoining the tiger reserve. One villager said water holes inside the reserve appeared dry because of inadequate rainfall and questioned the explanation offered by PWD officials. Residents also alleged that the works were of substandard quality and had failed to last even a year.
Another Machoor resident pointed to speed-limit signboards directing travellers to drive at 30 kmph between Udboor Gate and the Bavali checkpost. The resident questioned how a newly asphalted road could be damaged so quickly when vehicles were being instructed to travel at a controlled speed.
The condition of the road was also raised by a traveller, who said gravel had been placed over damaged sections but had not been neatly rolled or compacted to ensure that it remained firm. The account indicates that temporary or incomplete surface repairs were visible at some of the affected points, although the report does not state when the material was laid.
PWD engineers said repair work had begun on the affected portions of the road. The repairs are being undertaken on a route that passes through a protected forest landscape, where construction and maintenance are subject to forest-related requirements.
A forest officer from Nagarhole Tiger Reserve said the road had been asphalted in accordance with forest guidelines. The statement establishes that the work was carried out within the framework of the reserve’s requirements, but the report does not provide details of the construction specifications, contractor, project cost, inspection findings or the terms of the notice served by the PWD.
The PWD has also identified another six-km stretch inside the reserve, between Uboor Gate and the Bavali checkpost, as being in urgent need of asphalt. An officer expressed confidence that grants would be released to begin work on that section. The timing and value of the proposed grant, as well as the implementation schedule for the additional asphalt work, were not specified in the report.
