PRR alignment through Jarakabande Kaval forest raises ecological concerns

A 700-metre elevated stretch of the Peripheral Ring Road will pass through the Jarakabande Kaval reserve forest, raising major ecological concerns as thousands of trees face loss across the project.

The long-delayed Peripheral Ring Road (PRR), planned to connect Tumakuru Road and Hosur Road, is set to cut through the Jarakabande Kaval reserve forest, one of the last remaining green pockets of north Bengaluru. Officials overseeing the project confirmed that a 700-metre portion of the road will run through this protected forest zone.

In this stretch, the PRR is planned as an elevated structure rising 5.4 metres above the ground and spanning 35 metres in width. Two piers will support the flyover, and no service roads will be built in this section to limit further disturbance. The project proposes diverting 2.4 hectares of forest land for construction, with plans to rejuvenate the undergrowth once the structure is completed. However, the exact number of trees that will be lost has not yet been officially revealed.

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Earlier assessments provide an indication of the scale of impact. The revised 2022 Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) estimated that 631 trees would be felled specifically within the Jarakabande Kaval reserve forest.

 Across the entire 73 km project, the EIA identified 36,824 trees that would need to be removed, including 13,355 within the Thippagondanahalli (TG Halli) reservoir catchment.

The report also cautioned that 20.9 km of the alignment runs through the ecologically sensitive Arkavathy and Kumudavathy sub-catchments, where construction activity could significantly disrupt natural drainage and biodiversity.

Despite repeated discussions, the Bengaluru Development Authority has not yet formally sought forest land diversion for the Jarakabande Kaval stretch. Tree enumeration was conducted earlier, and forest officials confirm that no new afforestation work has been taken up along the planned alignment due to the pending proposal.

Spread across 120 acres, the reserve forest draws hundreds of visitors every weekend and supports diverse vegetation, including large native species and dense shrub layers. Occasional leopard sightings in the past highlight the area's ecological richness.

Environmental experts warn that construction inside forest boundaries could have long-term consequences. Heavy machinery movement, pier installation, and increased vehicular traffic are expected to disrupt bird activity, wildlife movement, and the natural forest floor. Concerns extend beyond tree loss, pointing to the destruction of shrubs, a vital but often ignored part of the ecosystem.

Rapid urbanisation and nearby projects, including the proposed Shivarama Karanth Layout, are expected to add further pressure on the fragile landscape. As the PRR moves closer to execution, questions continue to mount on how authorities plan to mitigate ecological loss while pushing forward with one of Bengaluru’s largest infrastructure projects.