Eco Alarm in Koraput: Highway Widening Continues to Devour Decades-Old Trees

Koraput | Nov 18, 2025 - The widening of National Highway 26 from Koraput to Sunabeda has once again sparked public concern as authorities prepare to cut an additional 134 trees, after 116 trees were already felled earlier as part of the development project. While the expansion aims to improve connectivity and ease traffic movement in the region, environmentalists and local residents say the cost of this development is coming at the expense of decades-old green cover.

According to officials, the highway expansion is essential for smoother transportation, better economic linkages, and enhanced safety along this major route. However, residents question whether adequate compensatory plantation and alternative alignments were considered before approving further tree felling. Many fear that the continuous loss of large, mature trees will lead to rising temperatures, soil erosion, and long-term ecological imbalance in the Koraput–Sunabeda belt.

The most affected stretch appears to be between Landiguda and the Central University, where around 250 trees have already been removed. Locals say these trees were not only part of the landscape but also played a vital role in maintaining the region’s natural environment.

While the administration maintains that compensatory afforestation will be undertaken, environmental activists argue that saplings cannot immediately replace the ecological value of mature trees. They have urged authorities to adopt more sustainable development strategies, including realignment of roads, reduced tree-cutting, and stricter monitoring of plantation drives.

As construction progresses, the debate between development and environmental preservation continues to intensify across Koraput district.