Gouri Shivayogi:
The Bengaluru–Mysuru Expressway has turned into a killer highway for birds since its inception. Apart from leopards and deer, many birds too have been killed on this superfast highway where people rush to their destinations ignoring the rights of other species to live and thrive.
Ever since the road was opened, there have been numerous deadly accidents involving people, wild animals and birds. Although, incidents that involve people are grabbing the eyeballs, however, the fate of wild animals and birds that got killed/injured have been totally ignored by the authorities.
In fact, the NH-275 which is 119-kms-long is part of the Bengaluru-Mangaluru Economic Corridor. The Expressway was inaugurated and opened for the public in March 2023. Although the NHAI has taken various measures to safeguard the lives of people, unfortunately, they have turned a blind eye and a deaf ear towards birds getting hit by fast moving and speeding vehicles.
This reporter’s survey started in late 2023 traveling from Bengaluru to Srirangapatna when a car hit a Brahminy kite that was feeding on a dead dog. In fact, the irony is the dog had been killed on the road median when it was also hit by a vehicle.
Till date, the data collected between Dec 2023-Jan 2025, a variety of birds have been hit/killed on the Expressway. As per survey, traveling once/twice a month, between Bengaluru-Srirangapatna, the number of dead birds picked and buried is around 40. These incidents were observed on Friday/Saturday or Monday early mornings.
Various species that were killed on this Expressway included: Brahminy Kites, Black Kites, Owls, Greater Coucal, Crows, Koels and other unidentified species.
OTHER OBSERVATIONS
The rate of death of birds were more on weekends & holidays and less on weekdays; the number of dead birds were between 15-20 during the weekends while the peak time of the day was 6-8 am. The mating season for Kites is between Jan-Mar and so between Dec-Mar, it is the peak months of the year.
However, no data could be gathered on foggy or rainy days. Due to heavy traffic & fast-moving vehicles, it was impossible to stop, check the dead birds. Also, due to mutilation of the dead birds, it was impossible to identify the species.
The major hotspots for various species of birds on this Expressway are the flyovers in the following places:
● After Bidadi industrial area
● Channapatna
● Near a mosque between Channapatna-Maddur, huge concentration of Brahminy kites.
● Maddur flyover near Maddur Tiffanys
● Maddur flyover that has a green median
● Mandya especially the two long-stretches and curvy flyovers
The main reasons for bird hits and deaths are – elevated flyover roads have become killer spots for many birds, especially scavengers. There are around 42 elevated flyover roads from Bidadi to Srirangapatna. The sudden ascent of the flyover roads from the ground level and trees (that are next to flyovers) create a big obstruction to the birds, especially kites.
Further, their body weight and the length of kites requires more distance and time to fly to such a height. The collision of vehicles and kites happen at the start or at the end of the flyover road. Also, animal carcasses are found on the road. The chain linked fence which is fixed between the service road and highway, is broken at regular intervals by the villagers or pedestrians.
Dogs, cats and other small animals use these passages to cross the road and get hit by the vehicles. So, when Kites scavenge on carcasses, they are hit and sustain injuries or die.
Again, their body weight does not allow them to fly quickly from the road. Most of the Expressway has agricultural land on both sides. Hence, the concentration of kites is more towards scavenging on other small animals.
CALL FOR MEASURES
Although, all living beings cannot be saved, there are some possible solutions to reduce the human-wildlife conflict on this Expressway. So, NHAI needs to implement the following measures: Install warning sign boards with meaningful captions at the start and end of the flyovers and locations that are identified as hotspots. Lay speed humps at the identified and vulnerable spots. Outreach & educate people through print and social media to bring awareness about this issue. Impose a penalty/fine on drivers for killing wildlife.
Although one cannot save every bird and animal, but if signboards or any of the above measures are implemented, the deaths of some birds can be prevented on this Expressway. It becomes imperative on the part of NHAI to bring in a standard protocol on all the highways and future projects to save our wildlife.