Delhi-Dehradun Expressway Wildlife Corridor

Summary of Key Facts and Data Regarding the Delhi-Dehradun Expressway

Inauguration and Project Details

• The Delhi-Dehradun expressway is set for inauguration on April 14, 2026, by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
• The expressway is 213 km long and built at a cost of ₹12,000 crore.
• It aims to reduce travel time between Delhi and Dehradun from 6 hours to 2.5 hours.

Wildlife Considerations and Environmental Impact

• The Wildlife Institute of India (WII) and the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) recorded wildlife movement across a wildlife corridor within the expressway.
• A 12-km animal underpass is integrated into the project to ensure safe passage for wildlife.
• The corridor crosses through the Rajaji and Shivalik forest divisions, habitats for endangered species like tigers and elephants.

Wildlife Study Findings

• The study encompassed an 18 km stretch of the expressway and utilized 150 high-tech cameras and 29 Audiomoth acoustic recorders over a duration of 40 days, capturing a total of 1,11,234 images, with 40,444 attributed to wild animals.
• Eighteen unique species were documented using the underpass, with golden jackal, nilgai, sambar, and spotted deer being the most frequent visitors.
• Notable findings included 60 instances of elephant utilization of the underpasses, indicating their successful navigation of this infrastructure.
• Traffic noise adaptation was observed in species like golden jackals and wild boars, while sensitive species such as elephants preferred quieter sections of the underpass.

NHAI Initiatives

• To further support wildlife movement, NHAI plans to deploy sound barriers in high-frequency crossing areas to minimize disturbance to sensitive species.
• The expressway will improve connectivity to other major expressways including:
  • Delhi-Mumbai
  • Delhi-Katra
  • Delhi-Meerut
  • Future expressway plans for Gorakhpur-Shamli and Haridwar Spur.

Significance

• This project exemplifies efforts to balance infrastructure development with wildlife conservation and the reduction of human-wildlife conflicts.

Conclusion

• The integration of environmental studies into infrastructure projects, such as the animal underpass, reflects a growing recognition of the importance of preserving biodiversity alongside economic development.