NHAI And WII Show Underpasses Aid Wildlife On Delhi-Dehradun Corridor
ROADS & HIGHWAYS

NHAI And WII Show Underpasses Aid Wildlife On Delhi-Dehradun Corridor

The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) in collaboration with the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) released a report titled Landscapes Reconnected documenting the first evidence of wildlife using animal underpasses on the Delhi-Dehradun Economic Corridor. The study demonstrates that highway development can coexist with preservation of ecologically sensitive areas and provides empirical findings on wildlife mitigation measures. The report follows monitoring along the Ganeshpur to Asharodi section of the corridor.

The research was conducted along an 18 km stretch between Ganeshpur and Asharodi and includes 10.97 km of animal underpass and an elevated corridor averaging six to seven metres in height. The study area was divided into three zones covering flat riverbed, hilly terrain and mixed Sal forest in the Shivalik range. The methodology comprised a 40-day monitoring programme using 150 camera traps and 29 acoustic recorders.

The monitoring recorded 111,234 images of humans, domestic animals and wildlife, of which 40,444 images were attributed to 18 wild species using the underpasses, including carnivores, herbivores, ungulates, pheasants and primates. The golden jackal was most frequently captured followed by nilgai, sambar and spotted deer while smaller mammals such as the Indian hare also regularly used the structures. The study recorded 60 instances of elephants using the corridors, indicating that even the largest animals can navigate the infrastructure to maintain migration patterns.

Analysis identified strategic soundscape management as a primary factor influencing underpass use and showed that generalist species have habituated to higher traffic sound while noise-sensitive species use quieter segments. The report recommends targeted noise reduction measures including sound barriers in high-frequency crossing areas to enhance passage for sensitive species and reduce human-wildlife conflict. The findings underscore reductions in the risk of population isolation in the Shivalik landscape and NHAI will continue to adopt data-driven mitigation strategies to balance infrastructure growth with biodiversity conservation.

The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) in collaboration with the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) released a report titled Landscapes Reconnected documenting the first evidence of wildlife using animal underpasses on the Delhi-Dehradun Economic Corridor. The study demonstrates that highway development can coexist with preservation of ecologically sensitive areas and provides empirical findings on wildlife mitigation measures. The report follows monitoring along the Ganeshpur to Asharodi section of the corridor. The research was conducted along an 18 km stretch between Ganeshpur and Asharodi and includes 10.97 km of animal underpass and an elevated corridor averaging six to seven metres in height. The study area was divided into three zones covering flat riverbed, hilly terrain and mixed Sal forest in the Shivalik range. The methodology comprised a 40-day monitoring programme using 150 camera traps and 29 acoustic recorders. The monitoring recorded 111,234 images of humans, domestic animals and wildlife, of which 40,444 images were attributed to 18 wild species using the underpasses, including carnivores, herbivores, ungulates, pheasants and primates. The golden jackal was most frequently captured followed by nilgai, sambar and spotted deer while smaller mammals such as the Indian hare also regularly used the structures. The study recorded 60 instances of elephants using the corridors, indicating that even the largest animals can navigate the infrastructure to maintain migration patterns. Analysis identified strategic soundscape management as a primary factor influencing underpass use and showed that generalist species have habituated to higher traffic sound while noise-sensitive species use quieter segments. The report recommends targeted noise reduction measures including sound barriers in high-frequency crossing areas to enhance passage for sensitive species and reduce human-wildlife conflict. The findings underscore reductions in the risk of population isolation in the Shivalik landscape and NHAI will continue to adopt data-driven mitigation strategies to balance infrastructure growth with biodiversity conservation.

Next Story
Technology

LTTS Partners with Databricks to Advance Industrial AI

L&T Technology Services (LTTS) has entered a strategic partnership with Databricks to co-develop Industrial AI solutions for asset-intensive industries, including energy, petrochemicals, and manufacturing. The collaboration leverages LTTS’ engineering expertise across 600+ major plants with Databricks’ AI and analytics platform to convert operational data into actionable Engineering Intelligence.The partnership will deliver solutions spanning Predictive Asset Reliability, Energy & Emissions Optimisation, Overall Equipment Effectiveness, Production and Quality Intelligence, and Sust..

Next Story
Infrastructure Urban

Opptra Partners with Unicommerce to Scale AI-Driven E-Commerce

Opptra, the AI-native e-commerce distributor founded by Flipkart co-founder Binny Bansal, has partnered with Unicommerce to enhance operations across India, the GCC, and Southeast Asia. The collaboration integrates Opptra’s brand expansion expertise with Unicommerce’s AI-led Uniware platform, enabling centralised management of orders, inventory, and fulfilment across warehouses, stores, and sales channels.Opptra retains full commercial ownership of online brand operations, from marketplace strategy and pricing to fulfilment and customer service. Leveraging Unicommerce’s 350+ integrations..

Next Story
Real Estate

AHS Properties Acquires Shangri-La Hotel for AED 1.1 Billion

AHS Properties has acquired the Shangri-La Hotel on Sheikh Zayed Road for AED 1.1 billion from Mismak Asset Management, marking one of the largest single-asset real estate deals in recent history. The 43-floor, 200-metre tower, completed in 2003, was among the first five-star hotels on the corridor.This acquisition complements AHS Tower and AHS City, forming a vertical corridor strategy that represents a substantial portion of the developer’s AED 50 billion year-end 2026 pipeline. Founder and CEO Abbas Sajwani described the purchase as a long-term investment in structurally constrained asset..

Advertisement

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Get daily newsletters around different themes from Construction world.

STAY CONNECTED

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement