Context: 

Protest sparks over a plan for a Railway line passing through Bandipur National Park to connect Nilambur in Kerala to Nanjangudi in Karnataka.

Save Bandipur Protest Held in Mysuru

• Golden IT Corridor: It is a 236 km broad-gauge railway line connecting Nilambur in Kerala to Nanjangudi in Karnataka with a 19.7-kilometre stretch traversing through the  Bandipur National Park. 
  • The project cost was initially approved by the Planning Commission in 2010 and was deemed technically feasible by Kerala government, envisioning a 70 km shortcut from Kerala to Bengaluru.
• Aim of the project: 
  • To improve interstate connectivity and reduce travel time and distance.
  • To  alleviate traffic congestion on National Highway-766, which connects Kozhikode in Kerala to Kollegal in Karnataka

Bandipur National Park

• Formation: The Bandipur National Park was formed by including the forest areas of the Venugopala Wildlife Park in 1985 extending over an area of 874.20 Sq.Km. This reserve was brought under Project Tiger in 1973.
• Location: It is situated in 2 revenue Districts in Karnataka ie. Chamarajanagar and Mysuru District.
  • The landmass is located at the tri-junction area of the States of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
  • It lies in the Western Ghats Mountains Biogeography Zone
• Part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve: It is surrounded by Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (Tamil Nadu) in the South, Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary (kerala) in the South West & on the North West Side the Kabini Reservoir separates the Bandipur and Nagarahole Tiger Reserve (karnataka)
• Forest Type: The vegetation changes from Moyar scrub type to dry deciduous to  moist deciduous type from east to west.
• Rivers: The  Kabini river separates Bandipur from Nagarhole in the north.  Moyar river flows in the south. The Nugu river runs through the park
• Fauna: It is one of the  last refuges of the endangered Asiatic wild elephant. Other  endangered species such as sloth bears, gaurs, Indian rock pythons, jackals, muggers, and four-horned antelopes, rare flying lizard etc
• Flora: teak, rosewood, sandalwood, Indian-laurel, Indian Kino tree, giant clumping bamboo, etc.

News Source: DTE