**Executive Summary**
This report, titled ‘Landscapes Reconnected’ and released on April 10, 2026, details a study by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) on the Delhi–Dehradun Economic Corridor. The study evaluates the effectiveness of wildlife mitigation measures, specifically animal underpasses, along an 18 km stretch between Ganeshpur and Asharodi. Findings confirm that these structures successfully facilitate the movement of 18 unique wild species, proving that infrastructure development can coexist with ecological preservation.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Infrastructure Design**
* The 20 km stretch between Ganeshpur and Asharodi includes a 10.97 km long animal underpass.
* The corridor features Asia’s largest wildlife elevated structures, standing 6 to 7 meters high to accommodate large mammals like elephants.
* The design aims to provide unobstructed movement for endangered species, including tigers, elephants, and king cobras.
* **Study Methodology**
* A 40-day monitoring program utilized 150 high-tech camera traps and 29 AudioMoth acoustic recorders.
* The study area was divided into three zones covering varied terrains: flat riverbeds, hilly terrain, and Sal Forest in the Shivalik range.
* **Observed Wildlife Activity**
* The study documented 40,444 images of 18 unique wild species using the underpass.
* Frequently captured species included the Golden Jackal, Nilgai, Sambar, Spotted Deer, and Indian Hare.
* The study specifically recorded 60 instances of elephants safely utilizing the corridors to maintain natural migration patterns.
* **Critical Findings on Soundscapes**
* Strategic management of the "soundscape" is a primary factor in facilitating natural wildlife behavior.
* While generalist species like wild boars have habituated to traffic noise, sensitive species like elephants and spotted deer prefer segments with lower sound levels.
* Data suggests that targeted sound barriers in high-frequency crossing areas will enhance usage for noise-sensitive species.
**Impact Analysis**
**NHAI (National Highways Authority of India)**
**Impact**
The study validates NHAI’s commitment to sustainable infrastructure, proving the success of their mitigation measures in reducing human-wildlife conflict and preventing population isolation.
**Action Required**
NHAI must continue integrating environmental sustainability into highway development and adopt data-driven approaches, including the deployment of advanced noise reduction strategies and targeted sound barriers.
**Wildlife Institute of India (WII)**
**Impact**
The WII provided the empirical findings and rigorous monitoring necessary to document the first evidence of wildlife utilizing these specific underpasses.
**Action Required**
WII is expected to continue collaborating with NHAI to monitor ecological connectivity and refine mitigation strategies based on species-specific behavior.
**Local Wildlife Populations**
**Impact**
Endangered and sensitive species are now able to navigate the Shivalik landscape without the risk of population isolation or vehicle collisions.
**Action Required**
Species must continue to habituate to the structures; however, their continued usage depends on the implementation of further noise-reduction measures in high-frequency zones.
Key Entities Referenced
Delhi–Dehradun Economic Corridor: The national highway project featuring extensive wildlife mitigation infrastructure, including Asia's largest wildlife elevated corridor, to allow coexistence with ecologically sensitive areas.
Landscapes Reconnected: A comprehensive report released by NHAI and WII documenting the first empirical evidence of wildlife movement through underpasses on the Delhi–Dehradun Economic Corridor.
National Highways Authority of India (NHAI): The primary agency responsible for implementing the corridor project and conducting the study on the effectiveness of sustainable infrastructure interventions.
Wildlife Institute of India (WII): The premier research institution that collaborated on the study and monitored animal movement patterns using high-tech camera traps and acoustic recorders.
Shivalik range: The ecologically sensitive landscape and forest region where the wildlife mitigation measures and monitoring program were specifically focused.
Ministry of Road Transport & Highways
NHAI and WII Study Highlights Effectiveness of
Wildlife Mitigation Measures on Delhi–Dehradun
Economic Corridor
Conducted along 18 km long Ganeshpur - Asharodi section
of Delhi – Dehradun Economic Corridor
Study documented around 40,444 images of 18 unique wild
species utilising the underpass
Posted On: 10 APR 2026 1:48PM by PIB Delhi
Achieving a major milestone in showcasing successful sustainable and inclusive development of National
Highway projects in ecologically sensitive areas, NHAI in collaboration with the Wildlife Institute of
India (WII) released a report titled ‘Landscapes Reconnected’. The extensive WII report documents the
first evidence of wildlife using animal underpasses on the Delhi – Dehradun Economic Corridor. The
corridor marks a significant milestone in development of sustainable infrastructure, demonstrating that
National Highway development can coexist with the preservation of ecologically sensitive areas. This
study provides an empirical finding on Wildlife Mitigation measures.
Conducted along an 18 km stretch of Delhi – Dehradun Economic Corridor between Ganeshpur and
Asharodi, the study was undertaken with the objective of assessing patterns of underpass use by wildlife,
factors affecting usage of underpasses by different wild species and effectiveness of the underpasses. This
forest region is habitat to some of the endangered species such as tigers, elephants, greater hornbills and
king cobras. The 20 km-long stretch between Ganeshpur and Asharodi features a total of 10.97 km long
animal underpass designed specifically to facilitate unobstructed animal movement. This engineering
milestone includes Asia's one of the largest wildlife elevated corridors standing at an average height of 6
to 7 meters to accommodate even the largest mammal.
The area of study was strategically divided into three distinct zones. Zone I covered 5.43 km long stretch
between Ganeshpur and Mohand, Zone II was 9.80 km-long stretch from the Mohand settlement to
Asharodi police check post and Zone III extended 3.14 km from Asharodi police check post to
Mohabewala in the Doon valley, covering flat Riverbed, Hilly terrain and mixed stretches of Sal Forest in
the Shivalik range.
The study methodology included a rigorous 40-day monitoring program utilising 150 high-tech camera
traps and 29 AudioMoth acoustic recorders deployed along the Delhi – Dehradon Economic corridor. The
study documented a total of 111,234 images of humans, domestic animals, and wildlife. Among these,
40,444 were attributed to 18 unique wild species utilising the underpass, including various carnivores,
herbivores, ungulates, pheasants, and primates. The Golden Jackal was the most frequently captured,followed closely by Nilgai, Sambar, and Spotted Deer. Smaller mammals, including the Indian Hare also
showed consistent movement through the structures. Notably, the study also recorded 60 instances of the
elephants safely utilising the corridors, establishing that even the largest wild animals can navigate the
new infrastructure to maintain their natural migration patterns.
The research identified the strategic management of the soundscape as a primary factor in facilitating
natural wildlife behaviour beneath the corridor. The data indicate that while generalist species, such as
golden jackals and wild boar, have habituated to significant traffic sound, sensitive species like elephants
and spotted deer selectively utilise underpass segments with lower sound levels. Deployment of advanced
noise reduction strategies including targeted sound barriers in high-frequency crossing areas will further
enhance passage for noise-sensitive species.
The development of Delhi – Dehradun Economic Corridor has not only significantly reduced the
probability of Human – wildlife conflict but also mitigated the risk of population isolation in the Shivalik
landscape. The study reaffirms that well-planned infrastructure interventions, including underpasses and
elevated corridors, play a crucial role in preserving the natural habitat of the wild animals and maintaining
ecological connectivity.
NHAI remains committed to integrating environmental sustainability into National Highway development
and will continue to adopt innovative mitigation strategies and measures including data driven approaches
to balance infrastructure growth with ecological and biodiversity conservation.*****
GDH/DS
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