T’puram: State forest department is mulling a road policy that will make it easier to maintain roads and build approach roads to existing bridges in forest areas without affecting wildlife. This was after panchayat representatives raised the issue with forest minister Shibu Baby John during a recent meeting in the state capital. Such roads are not repaired because they are located inside forests and the policy will set an SOP for road works in sensitive areas.At a panchayat in Kasaragod, a bridge is located over a river but it lacks an approach road due to restrictions on construction work inside forest areas. Local body members had raised similar instances of lack of maintenance of roads and pathways within forest areas and urged the department to find a solution. It is affecting people who live in panchayats that share borders with forest areas.A forest department officer said permission is being granted to repair roads laid before 1980. “This is the current policy but there have been complaints against such restrictions,” said the officer.The ministry is planning some regularisation because there are complaints that the department is not giving permission to repair roads that pass through forests to villages located on the borders of forest areas. Nevertheless, the department is considering a provision to allow small roads with speed breakers and restrict night travel.It is estimated that around 300km of new roads were laid in forests till 2023. The department does not want to allow paved or unpaved roads to prevent poaching and timber smuggling.
