Pic: Sidhharth Singh
The Delhi-Mumbai expressway with animal overpasses/underpass is a scintillating example that development need not always come at the cost of nature. A similar feat is underway in Uttarakhand. Small wonder the green brigade in Uttar Pradesh is clamouring that the model be replicated in the state, to prevent myriad creatures from being squashed under car tyres and to mitigate man-animal conflict. TreeTake takes a look …
The Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, with the country’s first dedicated animal overpass corridor on a national highway that passes through tiger territory, has become the talking point among environmentalists who have rightly hailed the innovative approach to integrate infrastructure with wildlife conservation, ensuring that no animal crossing the road would have to pay with its life.
In Uttar Pradesh too, several roads, including national highways and expressways, pass through forested areas. These include the Indo-Nepal border road passing through Dudhwa National Park and the Ganga Expressway, which traverses several districts with forested areas. Additionally, the Purvanchal Expressway and various other national and state highways also intersect with forested regions. Conservationists say overpasses and underpasses along such roads are the need of the hour.
Activist Abhishek Dubey said: “In areas like Dudhwa National Park, where railway lines pass through rich wildlife habitats, it’s crucial to prioritise the safety of animals like tigers and elephants, who have tragically died in accidents in the past. While currently only a few trains operate at reduced speeds in this region, any future plan to increase train frequency should include the construction of dedicated wildlife overpasses or underpasses at major animal crossing points. These structures have proven successful in other parts of India and the world in reducing human-wildlife conflict and saving precious wildlife without affecting infrastructure development.”
Wildlife enthusiast, photographer and tour operator in PTR, Siddharth Singh said: “All tiger reserves like Dudhwa, Katarniaghat, Kishanpur and Pilibhit have rail lines and highways, and road kills are common, leading to loss of wildlife. Overpasses are an expensive proposition–for instance, the road passes through 40km of the core forest area of Katarnighat. But underpasses can definitely be made at various places. Roads should be fenced on both sides to prevent animals from venturing onto the highway, and a 500-metre underpass should be made every four km. Elephants prefer the underpass. On the Kishanpur-Mailani road, one tiger and one leopard died in a month, which is on record. While 4 to 5 underpasses are proposed along a stretch of 40 km, at least 10 are required. Fencing should also be done. Animals would walk along the fence to reach the underpass. This would help in conflict mitigation. Animals come all the way from Pilibhit to Uttarakhand Road via Chuka to drink water from a stream. Fencing should be there. Also, earlier roads through forests were dilapidated, so people did not speed. Now roads are smooth, so they drive recklessly, leading to road kills. So, a safe passage is all the more important. There have been innovative measures in the country, but we have not adopted them. In my view, tunnels and overpasses are urgently needed in Dudhwa, Katarniaghat and Kishanpur Wildlife Sanctuary and even in Pilibhit. Kishanpur’s Mailani area, with a very good wildlife population, should have more underpasses because it is easier to create tunnels than overpasses. Such biodiversity corridors are of the utmost importance in the terai arc landscape (TAL), known for its rich biodiversity.”
Avian expert and wildlife enthusiast Kaushalendra Singh said: “There is definitely a need for similar measures in UP. I had suggested this about the Bheera to Mailani Road, where recently a tiger died in a road kill. Animals have fixed places for crossing and, if underpasses are provided there, mortality in mishaps can be checked to a considerable extent. But there were no takers for my suggestion. Three leopards died in Kheri last week. One was crushed under a bus; another was killed by villagers. Safe passage can prevent such incidents. I had got the train running through Dudhwa stopped, but it started again. I feel man should make the same arrangements for animals as he does for himself.”
Field director of Dudhwa National Park Raja Mohan admitted that underpasses/overpasses were definitely required, especially in areas like Kishanpur where the road and rail line passed through the forest, but said there were no proposals as of now.
HV Girisha, deputy director, WCCB, said: “This is a new approach. It was earlier experimented with in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra and proved successful. It was done in the Chilla-Motichur Corridor also. Now it is undeniable that wherever highways pass through forest areas, it is better to go for elevated corridors. Underpasses work only for railways, not roads, so they are not recommended. In Mailani, the rail network is very old. But in places where new rail lines are coming up in protected areas, measures are being taken. A thermodynamic warning system based on the principles of vibration is under experiment. It is particularly aimed at protecting the elephant. Whenever any large animal steps on the underground wire network, a signal is passed on to the control room/command centre, and the driver of the locomotive is alerted. Technology is improving day by day, and soon there may be a warning system about smaller animals too. In terai, there are technical limitations, so underpasses for trains are difficult. There is no problem about roads as elevated corridors or overpasses can be made. In the terai region and foothills, there is movement of a lot of water underneath, so elevated corridors are more feasible.”
Wildlife-friendly roads in India
Roads are essential for human traffic but offer many challenges for wildlife, disrupting habitats, fragmenting ecosystems and increasing mortality rates. However, with much thoughtful planning, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has built the country’s first wildlife overpass corridor on a national highway, the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, combining environmental preservation with infrastructural development. The 12-kilometre segment of this expressway that passes through Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve’s buffer zone has five wildlife overpasses as well as India’s longest underpass for safe movement of animals. The move is an eye-opener as this is the first time in the country that a highway was designed keeping in mind not just human traffic, but wildlife and its habitat.
The stretch that was built in consultation with the Wildlife Institute of India and the Ministry of Environment and Forests, passes through an ecologically rich region between Ranthambhore and Chambal Valley, which is home to a broad range of animals like tigers, bears and leopards. News agency ANI quoted Pradeep Attri, Regional Officer, NHAI, as saying this corridor was one of the most difficult sections of the entire expressway. "During both construction and post-construction operations, we had to be extremely cautious to ensure that the natural habitat of the animals could coexist with the highway," he said, as reported by ANI. Each of the 500 metres long overpasses was built maintaining the natural terrain to allow free wildlife movement, as well as a 1.2 km underpass to ensure safe passage for larger animals.
Approximately 5 km of the expressway in this segment was either elevated or sunken to preserve the natural landscape, while a 4-metre-high wall and 2-metre sound barriers were built to prevent wildlife from straying onto the road and minimise traffic noise. ANI further quoted Attri as saying that animal activity was closely monitored during construction. "We deployed manpower approximately every 200 metres to ensure that no animal accidentally wandered into the construction zone or faced any harm. We are proud to say that despite being in such a sensitive zone, not a single untoward incident occurred during the construction phase." Approximately 2.5 kilometres of the stretch was aligned with the natural terrain, making it the longest wildlife overpass of its kind in the country. The highway also included a number of environmentally-friendly features, like the plantation of 35,000 trees and rainwater harvesting.
Pench National Park has also implemented several measures to create safe roads for animals, including the construction of underpasses and sound/light-proof highways. These features aim to minimise road accidents and ensure the safe passage of wildlife, particularly through the Pench Tiger Reserve. As per the reports, Punjab plans to build its first urban wildlife corridor as part of the planned Zirakpur bypass project. It involves a 3-km elevated road through a protected forest area near Peer Muchalla in Zirakpur, allowing wildlife to pass safely while alleviating traffic congestion in the area. A 2024 report said Maharashtra’s Samruddhi Mahamarg consisted of a variety of structures, including 209 underpasses for animals and pedestrians and eight underpasses and overpasses for wildlife movement.
In Uttarakhand, a 14-kilometre elevated biodiversity corridor has been built as part of the Delhi-Dehradun Expressway. This elevated expressway is designed not only to ensure faster commute between Delhi and Dehradun through the Mohand and surrounding areas of Rajaji National Park, but also to ensure safe passage for wildlife, to check wild animals from being run over by vehicles or being disturbed by traffic. As per the forest department and the locals, the wildlife is using the underpass beneath the Expressway, and camera trap images have captured elephants, deer and sambar crossing the 14 km corridor built through the Rajaji Tiger Reserve. On the recommendations of the Wildlife Institute of India, the NHAI has set up 160 cameras to monitor this wildlife corridor, and conservationists and forest officials are upbeat with the results. To note, the manifold increase in traffic movement between Dehradun and Delhi in the past one and a half decades affects the movement of wild animals as the existing road passes through the core area of Rajaji National Park. The underpass of this elevated wildlife corridor ensures free and safe passage for the wild animals. As wild animals readily use it, the underpass obviously meets animals’ natural behavioural patterns.
As per Rajaji Tiger Reserve officials, it was a scintillating example of infrastructural development without encroaching on animal territory in any way. Apart from the underpass, the expressway’s design includes an elevated wildlife corridor spanning several kilometres. This, combined with the tunnel, not only tackles habitat fragmentation but also enhances connectivity between Rajaji and neighbouring protected areas like Kalesar National Park in Haryana. Earlier this year, a herd of ten elephants was reported migrating between these forests, underlining the importance of such corridors. It may be recalled that frequent camera trap surveys in Rajaji have recorded leopards, serpents and many species of deer besides elephants. These efforts are a sequel to the Wildlife Institute of India’s persistent warnings about shrinking elephant corridors in Uttarakhand, making the expressway’s wildlife-friendly design a significant precedent. Wildlife experts hope that the use of this underpass by large mammals will make this idea of integrated infrastructure development and ecological preservation a successful concept.
What are wildlife corridors and why are they important?
Wildlife or biodiversity corridors are strips of natural habitat connecting populations of wildlife otherwise separated by agricultural land or roads, etc. Through these corridors, animals move between isolated areas, so they help in aiding migration, genetic diversity and survival. The negative impacts of human development, such as roads and urbanisation, on animal populations are thus mitigated. Wildlife corridors check habitat fragmentation and increase the survival rate of animals through increased food sources, cover, and reduced predation. They enable animals to move freely between habitats and protect biodiversity, reducing the risk to both wildlife and humans posed by human-made barriers.
Wildlife corridors are important for the survival of wildlife species that need large areas, such as tigers in India or grizzly bears in the United States. They are also vital in maintaining safe passage for birds, fish, and mammals. Wildlife corridors are a must to ensure a peaceful coexistence between humans and animals. They keep animals away from human settlements, reducing conflicts and minimising damage to crops and property. They facilitate the movement of animals between populations, preventing inbreeding and maintaining a healthy gene pool. They enable animals to escape disturbances caused by natural disasters or human activities and find new habitats and resources. Many species migrate seasonally for food, breeding, or other needs. Corridors provide a safe passage for these movements, ensuring access to essential resources. Corridors also support ecological processes like pollination, seed dispersal, and predator-prey interactions. By maintaining connectivity, they contribute to the overall health and resilience of ecosystems. With a changing climate, animals may need to move to new areas to find suitable habitats. Corridors can facilitate these movements, allowing species to adapt to changing conditions. To sum up, wildlife corridors are vital for maintaining the health and resilience of ecosystems amidst human activity.
Why biodiversity corridors are important in UP
Uttar Pradesh has specific needs as regards wildlife corridors. There is a diverse landscape in the state with forests, grasslands and agricultural areas, which house a variety of animals. However, human activities often result in the fragmentation of such natural habitats, making wildlife corridors essential for the survival of the animals. For instance, corridors that connect protected areas like Dudhwa National Park and Pilibhit Tiger Reserve are of benefit to the state's tiger population. Similarly, corridors are also required to link fragmented forest patches in areas like the Terai region, which supports elephants, rhinos, and other species.
However, a major challenge is balancing infrastructure development with the establishment of wildlife corridors. Any successful implementation of a corridor requires the involvement and support of local communities, as well as addressing potential human-wildlife conflicts. Apart from this, regular monitoring and adaptive management are essential to ensure the effectiveness of wildlife corridors and address any challenges that may arise.
Wildlife corridors are vital for conserving biodiversity in Uttar Pradesh. Bridges over highways and underpasses have shown that human interference may have fragmented the animal habitat, but we can still join the pieces. It is to be hoped that the state thinks about providing suitable overpasses and underpasses along roads in forest areas to mitigate habitat fragmentation, man-animal conflict and check road kills to ensure the long-term survival of its wildlife populations and promote ecological connectivity. Let us remember the saying—It is not the animal that crosses the road, but the road that crosses the forest!
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