Delhi-Dehradun Wildlife Corridor: Features and Significance

Delhi-Dehradun Wildlife Corridor: Learn about India’s first elevated wildlife corridor, its route, features, ecological significance, and UPSC relevance.

Context: Ahead of the official inauguration on April 14, 2026, a joint study by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) and the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has validated the functional success of Asia’s largest wildlife elevated corridor.

About Delhi-Dehradun Wildlife Corridor

The specialized animal underpass stretch is 12 km long, part of an 18-km eco-sensitive section between Ganeshpur (UP) and Asharodi (Uttarakhand).
The road is elevated to a height of 7 meters, specifically designed to allow the passage of Asian Elephants, which require significant overhead clearance to feel secure.
Target Species: The corridor protects a high-biodiversity zone home to Tigers, Asian Elephants, Leopards, Greater Hornbills, and King Cobras.
Regional Connectivity: This corridor is vital for the Shivalik-Elephant Reserve, maintaining the migratory path between the Yamuna and Ganges rivers for the north-western elephant population.

Significance

Recent Wildlife Institute of India (WII) studies recorded over 40,000 images of wild animals using the corridor in just 40 days, including 60 documented instances of elephants
The most frequent users identified include the Golden Jackal, Nilgai, Sambar, Spotted Deer (Chital), and smaller mammals like the Indian Hare.
The project utilised Audiomoth acoustic recorders to study how traffic noise affects movement; results showed that while jackals are noise-tolerant, elephants and deer prefer quieter segments.

Eco-bridges

They serve as “connective tissue” in landscapes bisected by linear infrastructure (highways, railways).
Modern eco-bridges are not “one-size-fits-all.” They are engineered based on the target species’ behaviour:
- Canopy Bridges: For arboreal species like the Red Panda or Slender Loris.
- Underpasses: With specific height clearances (e.g., 7 meters for Elephants).
- Amphibian Tunnels: Small, moist culverts designed for frogs and reptiles to avoid roadkill.
Under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 and the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, the inclusion of these structures is often a mandatory condition for “Forest Clearance.”
Proponents must conduct a Biological Impact Assessment to ensure the placement of the bridge aligns with documented “animal strike” hotspots or traditional migratory paths.