About 12 kilometers of the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, which falls into the buffer zone of the Ranthmbore Tiger Reserve, there are five identical mound structures. Standing between the major bridges on the Hardoganj village of Bundi and the Mage River, these structures – 500 meters long and connected to the road – serve a unique objective: to allow a safe route to vehicles along with wildlife, without any obstruction.
India’s first massive animal overpass was postponed, the mounds are part of a major segment of the ambitious 1,386-km long Delhi-Mumbai Expressway. Officials said the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) executed by Larsen & Toubro (L&T) under the Bharatmala Pariozana Project, these overpasses would be opened to the public in five months, the officials said. In addition to five overpasses, the project includes a 1.2-meal long animal underpass.
According to a senior L&T official, while in 2020 the initial project did not do the factor in these structures, NHAI eventually revised its plan based on the suggestions made by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII).
The official said that the structures will be covered with grass and bushes, of which the seeds have already sown, the official said. Other highlights include the use of noisy barriers on the wall of the highway and polyurethane (PU) mats-which are known for their sound-nine and noise-making properties-on the walls of the lover.
“Continuous noise from traffic can intervene with disorientation, anxiety and essential animal activities such as feeding, sexual intercourse and nesting hunt … The boundary wall is four meters high, to prevent the sound of vehicles from getting out with an additional two meter noise obstacles. Thus it will not be able to do the hinish in a side.”
Given that the stretch walked through an environmental-sensitive area, officials said they faced many challenges. One of these animals was to transfer the 765 KV high-tin line passing through the underpass and wildlife sanctuary area.
“It was a sensitive task due to its location within a protected ecological region. The project runs through the Buffer Zone of the Ranthmbore Tiger Reserve, Chambal Gadial, and the sinful forest area. Many wildlife species, including bears and tigers, had many wildlife species, which were safe for animals and bears.
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The project also required tough compliance with environmental rules and continuous coordination with forest officials. These requirements were installing cameras every kilometer to monitor the movement of animals.
While this special stretch of the expressway was completed in December 2023, there are some other parts where the work is still going on, he said.
“We are planning to turn the overpass in about five months. Our goal is to achieve one lakh passenger car unit (PCU) on this section in the next 4-5 years,” said NHAI officer.
The Delhi-Mumbai Expressway connects major economic centers within Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Maharashtra. According to the Detailed Project Report (DPR), the expressway will cut the distance between Delhi and Jawaharlal Nehru Port Terminal (JNPT) near Mumbai at a distance of about 180 km and reduce the travel time by 50 percent.
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According to NHAI, 82 percent of the total expressway has been completed, with the project deadline, it was now pushed back from March 2023 in October this year.
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