On April 14, the National Highways Authority of India opened the Delhi-Dehradun Expressway. This six-lane highway connects India's capital to Dehradun, near the Himalayan foothills.
The expressway includes a 6.8-mile corridor designed for wildlife to cross safely underneath.
A Safe Passage for Wildlife
The Wildlife Institute of India and the National Highways Authority of India called the corridor a "significant milestone." They noted it shows that highway development can happen alongside protecting sensitive ecological areas.
We're a new kind of news feed.
Regular news is designed to drain you. We're a non-profit built to restore you. Every story we publish is scored for impact, progress, and hope.
Start Your News DetoxThe nearby Asharodi and Ganeshpur forest regions are home to endangered species. These include tigers, elephants, greater hornbills, and king cobras.
The agencies explained that a 20-kilometer stretch has a 10.97-kilometer animal underpass. This design helps animals move freely. It includes one of Asia’s largest elevated wildlife corridors, about 6 to 7 meters high. This height can accommodate even the biggest mammals.
Even though the road officially opened in mid-April, animals started using it much earlier. A new study recorded over 40,000 images of animals using the crossing. This happened in the 40 days before construction finished.
The images showed 18 different wild species using the underpass. These included carnivores, herbivores, and primates. Golden jackals were seen most often, followed by Nilgai, Sambar, and spotted deer. Smaller mammals like the Indian hare also used the structures consistently.
The study also recorded 60 instances of elephants using the corridors safely. This shows that even large wild animals can use the new infrastructure to keep their natural migration patterns.
Image via Wildlife Institute of India, National Highways Authority of India
Protecting Endangered Elephants
India has about 22,446 wild elephants. This is roughly 60% of the world’s remaining Asian elephants.
Asian elephants are listed as endangered. However, groups like Wildlife SOS have made big conservation strides in the region.
Image via Wildlife Institute of India, National Highways Authority of India
Recent efforts include India’s first Humane Elephant Rescue Center and its first elephant hospital. An "elephant" ambulance, custom-designed to help elephants in distress, has also been implemented.
The Delhi-Dehradun Economic Corridor now offers another layer of protection. It helps elephants and other vulnerable species avoid traffic collisions.
The National Highways Authority of India is committed to environmental sustainability. They plan to keep using innovative strategies to balance infrastructure growth with protecting nature.
Image via Wildlife Institute of India, National Highways Authority of India
Deep Dive & References
Joint press release - Wildlife Institute of India and the National Highways Authority of India
