Delhi Mumbai expressway to have India's first 5 wildlife crossings. (Representational image)
The road instrastructure development is currently one of the major focuses of the government as various expressway projects are underway in the country. The construction of one such highway project and also the most awaited is Delhi-Mumbai greenfield expressway. This upcoming expressway is tipped to be the longest greenfield expressways that is expected to be completed by 2024.
While there are many features of this upcoming expressway that will lead to better connectivity between the two metropolis, one such highlights of the Delhi-Mumbai expressway is going to be animal bridges or animal overpasses, according to the Times of India report.
Animal overpasses on Delhi-Mumbai greenfield expressway
- The upcoming expressway project will have India's first animal bridges or animal overpasses that will be designed keeping in mind not to disturb the environment and wildlife section that comes up on way of over 1,200 km long expressway.
- In total, the Delhi-Mumbai expressway will have 5 such animal overpasses with a combined length of over 2.5 km.
- These bridges have been planned to abide by the concerns of not disturbing the wildife movement on a section of Ranthambore Wildlife Corridor that comes on way connecting Ranthambore and Mukundra (Darrah) wildlife sanctuaries in Rajasthan.
- An agreement on this is expected to be signed in the coming days.
What are wildlife crossings or animal bridges
Wildlife crossings are a practice in habitat conservation, allowing connections or reconnections between habitats, combating habitat fragmentation. They also assist in avoiding collisions between vehicles and animals.
Existing wildlife crossings or animal overpasses on highways across the world
- Banff National Park
- Collier and Lee counties in Florida
- Underpasses in southern California
- Ecoducts, Netherlands
- Slaty Creek Wildlife Underpass, Calder Freeway, Black Forest, Australia
