Why The Elevated Wildlife Corridor On Delhi-Dehradun Expressway Was Necessary

Travelling between Delhi and Dehradun is about to become faster and smoother,  from around 6.5 hours to approximately 2.5 hours. But what makes the new Delhi-Dehradun Expressway truly remarkable is not just the reduced travel time. The ambitious highway, set for its inauguration on April 14 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, stands out as a rare example of large-scale infrastructure designed with wildlife and ecology in mind.

On April 14, the Prime Minister will visit Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh and is scheduled to review the wildlife corridor on the elevated section of the Delhi-Dehradun Economic Corridor during a stop in Saharanpur at around 11:15 am.

Wildlife-Friendly Highway Passing Through Rajaji National Park

Built at an estimated cost of Rs 12,000-13,000 crore, the Delhi-Dehradun Expressway is one of northern India's most important new road projects.

The six-lane corridor is expected to dramatically improve travel between the national capital and Uttarakhand's capital, benefiting tourists, commuters and logistics alike. However, the expressway's alignment passes through highly sensitive forest regions, making ecological safeguards a critical part of its design.

The final 20 km stretch of the expressway passes through the eco-sensitive zone of Rajaji National Park, a forest reserve known for its diverse wildlife, including elephants, tigers and several endangered species. This region lies along historic animal migration routes, and uninterrupted movement is essential for the survival of these species.

To address this, India's longest elevated wildlife corridor, stretching 12 km, has been constructed here. It is one of the longest such corridors in Asia and represents a landmark step in wildlife-friendly highway design.

Photo Credit: Ministry of Road Transport & Highways

Wildlife Protection Features To Minimise Disturbance To Forests

In addition to the elevated corridor, the project includes multiple animal-friendly structures designed to keep wildlife movement uninterrupted.

These include eight dedicated animal passes and two elephant underpasses measuring 200 metres each.

A 370-metre-long tunnel near the Daat Kali temple (including a 340-metre covered stretch) has also been built to protect wildlife in this sensitive area. According to Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, the Daat Kali tunnel has been designed specifically to minimise disturbance to surrounding forests and wildlife habitats.

Also Read: How The New Delhi-Dehradun Expressway Changes Your Trip To Mussoorie

Even Elephants Can Easily Pass Beneath The Corridor

Standing at an average height of 6 to 7 metres, the elevated corridor has been engineered to allow even the largest animals to pass beneath it without obstruction. This design ensures that elephants, which require wide and open pathways, can continue using their traditional migration routes.

Between Ganeshpur and Asharodi, a 20 km stretch of the expressway includes 10.97 km of animal underpasses built specifically to reconnect fragmented forest landscapes.

Photo Credit: Ministry of Road Transport & Highways

Wildlife Actively Using Underpass Along The Economic Corridor

The effectiveness of these measures has already been documented. The National Highways Authority of India, in collaboration with the Wildlife Institute of India, recently released a report titled Landscapes Reconnected. The report presents the first scientific evidence of wildlife actively using the underpasses along the Delhi-Dehradun Economic Corridor.

Camera traps installed during the study along an 18 km stretch between Ganeshpur and Asharodi recorded 111,234 images capturing humans, domestic animals and wildlife. Of these, 40,444 images featured 18 distinct wild species successfully using the underpasses.

The most frequently recorded species was the golden jackal, followed by nilgai, sambar and spotted deer. Smaller mammals such as the Indian hare were also found to move consistently through the structures. The corridor area is also home to endangered species, including tigers, elephants, greater hornbills, and king cobras.

Notably, the study documented 60 instances of elephants safely using the corridor, confirming that even the largest wild animals can adapt to the new infrastructure.

Managing Traffic Noise For Wildlife Comfort

One of the key findings of the research was the importance of sound management beneath the elevated corridor. Strategic control of noise levels was identified as a crucial factor in allowing animals to behave naturally and use the passages without stress.