India’s First Wildlife Overpass Corridor

A wildlife overpass is a bridge made for animals to safely cross roads. These structures help prevent animal deaths and keep their habitats connected. Most are covered with plants and trees to resemble natural surroundings.

Countries like Canada, the Netherlands, and the United States have already adopted this model with success. India is now beginning to follow their lead with the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway project.

This is the first time a national expressway in India has been planned with wildlife protection at its center. The Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, which passes near the Ranthambore Tiger Reserve, now sets an example for other infrastructure efforts.

As roadkill and habitat encroachment increase across India, this project shows how development can respect the environment. Camera evidence has already captured tigers and bears using the corridor safely.

The corridor incorporates multiple design elements to ensure safe animal passage:

• Wildlife Segment: 12 km through the Ranthambore buffer zone
• Overpasses: 5 vegetated bridges, each 500 metres long
• Underpass: 1.2 km — India’s longest wildlife underpass
• Terrain Fit: 5 km of sunken or raised road to match land contours
• Safety Barriers: 4-metre-high walls and 2-metre sound barriers
• Camera Evidence: Tigers and bears recorded using the route

Beyond the overpasses and underpasses, the project includes several green initiatives:

• Natural Terrain Use: Overpasses follow the natural shape of the land
• Tree Planting: 35,000+ trees planted along the corridor
• Rainwater Storage: Harvesting systems built along the route
• Modular Building: Prefabricated construction reduced waste
• Wildlife Safety: Low-glare lights and noise barriers installed

The project aims to achieve multiple conservation and infrastructure goals:

• Help tigers, leopards, and bears move between Ranthambore and the Chambal Valley
• Reduce road accidents involving animals
• Demonstrate how roads can be built without harming wildlife
• Support global efforts like the UN Sustainable Development Goals

By connecting two major ecosystems, the corridor ensures genetic diversity among wildlife populations and reduces isolation of animal groups.

This is not an isolated case. Other states are taking similar steps toward eco-sensitive road construction:

• Punjab: Planning an urban wildlife corridor on the Zirakpur bypass
• Maharashtra: Samruddhi Mahamarg has 209 animal underpasses and 8 overpasses
• Future Plans: Projects in Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka are in progress

This marks a fundamental shift in how India approaches highway construction in ecologically sensitive areas.

India joins a growing list of countries that prioritize wildlife-friendly infrastructure:

• Canada: Banff National Park has both overpasses and underpasses — one of the most successful models globally
• Netherlands: Over 600 wildlife crossings for animals from frogs to deer
• USA: California’s new overpass aims to protect endangered mountain lions