National Highway-766 | 09 Nov 2019

Why in News

Recently, the Kerala Legislative Assembly has passed a resolution demanding the Union government to lift the travel restrictions on National Highway-766 (NH-766).

• The night travel on the forest stretch of NH-766 , passing through the Bandipur National Park is banned since 2009 to protect wildlife in the area.

NH-766

• It connects Karnataka and Kerala that passes through the Bandipur Tiger Reserve in Karnataka.
• It was declared a national highway in 1989, then named NH 212, and later renamed NH 766.
• It serves as a survival route for the people of Wayanad as the place lacks rail and water connectivity.

Bandipur National Park

• It is part of interconnected forests that include Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary (Tamil Nadu), Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary (Kerala) and Nagarhole National Park (Karnataka).
• It has the second-highest tiger population in India after Pench Tiger Reserve(Madhya Pradesh).
• Madhya Pradesh has the highest number of tigers followed by Karnataka.

Source: TH