The government has invested around Rs. 197 bn in wildlife mitigation infrastructure and related environmental protection measures across national highway projects over the past five years, according to a report released by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). The measures are intended to address habitat fragmentation, barrier effects and wildlife–vehicle collisions while supporting safe traffic movement.

The report, titled Wildlife Mitigation Measures & Structures, states that NHAI has constructed or proposed more than 2,150 structures across highway corridors in India. These include animal underpasses, major and minor bridge-cum-animal underpasses, culverts adapted for wildlife movement, canopy crossings and other specialised facilities.

Structural mitigation spending includes around Rs. 46 bn on animal underpasses, Rs. 6.5 bn on animal overpasses and Rs. 83 bn on viaducts. Construction planning accounts for Rs. 28 bn, while major bridge projects have received Rs. 25 bn and minor bridges Rs. 5 bn, the document stated.

The structures are designed to facilitate wildlife movement across highway corridors and preserve ecological connectivity between habitats. The report was released by Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari during a two-day Chintan Shivir in Ekta Nagar, Gujarat, reflecting the authority’s effort to balance connectivity requirements with environmental sustainability and wildlife conservation.

NHAI said mitigation planning is based on the ecological sensitivity of project corridors, wildlife movement patterns and the technical feasibility of individual designs. Alongside structural measures, it has introduced noise barriers, reptile crossings, rainwater harvesting and other interventions, while guide fencing and noise barriers have been installed along more than 300 km of alignments. Camera trapping is used to monitor wildlife movement, and collision hotspots are addressed through speed regulation boards, signage and periodic reviews.