Lok Sabha Question No. 3722 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-03-23
Subject: Wildlife Fatalities on National Highways
Ministry: ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
Asked by: Dushyant Singh

## be pleased to state:

- (a) the number of animals/wildlife killed on National Highways (NHs) due to collision with vehicles;
- (b) the  provisions/measures  adopted  for  the  safety  and  well-being  of  wild animals while crossing NHs;
- (c) whether there are any bridges/underpasses on NHs that facilitate safe passage of animal for crossing and if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) if not, the plans/projects approved for the purpose?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS (SHRI NITIN JAIRAM GADKARI)

- (a)  &  (b)       Ministry  of  Road  Transport  and  Highways  takes  all   steps necessary for Wildlife protection as prescribed by National Board for Wildlife (NBWL). Major steps taken by the Ministry of Environment & Forest (which is the  nodal  Ministry  for  Wildlife  Protection)  to  avoid  such  incidents  are  as follows:
1. Ministry through its Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS) namely 'Project Tiger',  'Project  Elephant'  and  'Development  of  Wildlife  Habitats  (DWH)' provides funds to States and UTs for carrying out various activities for habitat improvement works namely restoration of natural water bodies, creation of artificial ponds, waterholes, augmenting food/fodder sources at various places within Protected Areas to minimize the human animal conflict.
2. Ministry has issued advisory to States/UTs for submission of proposals for diversion within the protected areas and Eco-sensitive Zones along with animal passage plan prepared on the basis of guidelines prepared by Wildlife  Institute  of  India,  namely,  Eco-friendly  Measures  to  Mitigate Impacts of Linear Infrastructure on Wildlife. The guidelines suggest for modifications  in  the  designs  of  the  linear  infrastructures  by  way  of providing  eco-friendly  structure  which  will  ensure  safe  movement  of wildlife across these linear infrastructures.

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3722 ANSWERED ON 23 RD  MARCH, 2023

## WILDLIFE FATALITIES ON NATIONAL HIGHWAYS

3722. SHRI DUSHYANT SINGH:

## Will the Minister of ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

## सड़क परिवहन औि िाजमार्ग मंत्री

3. A network of Protected Areas namely viz., National Park, Sanctuaries, Conservation  Reserves  and  Community  Reserves  covering  important wildlife  habitat  have  been  created  all  over  the  country  under  the provisions of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 to conserve wild animals and their habitats.
4. Construction/erecting  of  physical  barriers,  such  as  barbed  wire  fence, solar  powered  electric  fence,  bio-fencing  using  cactus,  boundary  wall etc. to prevent the entry of wild animals into crop field.
5. An advisory on handling human-wildlife conflict has been issued by the Ministry to all States on 06.02.2021 which suggests various measures that may be adopted by States for handling human-wildlife conflict. These include  coordinated  interdepartmental  action,  formation  of  State  and district level committees, identification of conflict hot spots, adherence to Standard Operating Procedures, and establishment of rapid response teams.

(c) & (d)      Development activities on National Highways (NHs) passing through wild  Life  Sanctuaries  /  National  Parks  are  generally  avoided  and  wherever possible  a  bypass/detour  is  proposed  so  that  there  is  minimum  impact  of highways  on  the  wildlife  habitat.  If  it  is  absolutely  unavoidable  then  all necessary clearances required under statutory norms are obtained before any work is undertaken in such areas and measures are taken as per the manuals and guidelines of Forest and Wildlife Authorities and relevant IRC codes. The various measures that are taken include installation of road signs, speed calming measures, provision for construction of cattle/animal under pass (CUP/AUP) at pre-defined locations, fencing at the edge of Right of Way, etc.

Further, the available details of structures on NHs provided for safe passage of animals/wildlife are annexed as per Annexure.

ANNEXURE  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PART  (c)  &  (d)  OF  LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED  QUESTION  NO.  3722  FOR  ANSWER  ON  23 RD   MARCH,  2023 REGARDING WILDLIFE FATALITIES ON NATIONAL HIGHWAYS.

Details  of  structures  on  National  Highways  provided  for  safe  passage  of animals/wildlife : -

|   Sl. No. | Name of the Project                                   | Details of Structures                                                                                                                                                                    |
|-----------|-------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|         1 | Haridwar-Dehradun Section of NH-58 & 72               | 3-Elephant Underpasses at Lal Tappar, Teen Pani on NH-72 and Motichur on NH-58                                                                                                           |
|         2 | MP/MH-Seoni Section of NH-7                           | 1400 meter elevated corridor, 500 meter 02 number, 300 meter 01 number, 120 meter 01 number and rest 10 number 100 meter to 30 meter. Noise barrier / anti light glare on all structures |
|         3 | MP/MH Border to Mansar Section of NH-7                | 3 Animal underpasses, 6 other structures, 15 Minor bridges and 66 Culverts.                                                                                                              |
|         4 | Jammu-Udhampur Project                                | 4 tunnels (total length 1.78 km) and 4 viaducts in between tunnels                                                                                                                       |
|         5 | Chenani-Nashri Tunnel                                 | 8.98 km tunnel and 1.91 km approaches in lieu of 41.00 km existing length                                                                                                                |
|         6 | Quazigund - Banihal Tunnel                            | 8.45 km tunnels & 6.90 km approaches in lieu of existing length of 31.35 kms                                                                                                             |
|         7 | Udhampur-Ramban                                       | 1 tunnel of 900 meter of 2 lane                                                                                                                                                          |
|         8 | Ramban-Banihal                                        | 6 tunnels of 2.967 km length                                                                                                                                                             |
|         9 | Dhule _Nashik Section of NH-3 (Anerdam Sanctuary)     | 5.5 Km Realignment                                                                                                                                                                       |
|        10 | Palanpur-Swaroopganj section of NH-14 (Old) New NH-27 | 03 underpasses and 10 box culvert                                                                                                                                                        |
|        11 | Kota Bypass                                           | Cable stayed bridge of 1 km on National Chambal Sanctuary                                                                                                                                |
|        12 | Dholpur-Morena Section of NH-3 (Chambal Sanctuary)    | Height and span of bridges increased from existing level, sound and light barrier on the structure.                                                                                      |
|        13 | Panvel-Indapur Section of NH-17 (Old) NH-66 (New)     | 04 underpasses, 19 box culvert, Monkey Ladder                                                                                                                                            |
|        14 | Gwalior-Shivpuri Section of NH-3                      | Elevated corridor and under pass for the stretch of 5.5 km passing through wild life sanctuary                                                                                           |
|        15 | Gujarat-MP Borer to Indore Section of NH-59           | Underpass, fencing for 9.04 km passes through wild life sanctuary                                                                                                                        |
|        16 | Lumding Section of NH-54 (Lumding Reserve)            | 02 Elephant passes and increase the length of 04 number of minor bridges, 02 number, Monkey ladders.                                                                                     |
|        17 | Kaithalghat-Shimla                                    | 01 tunnel                                                                                                                                                                                |
|        18 | Hapur-Garhmukteshwar Section of NH-24                 | Underpass                                                                                                                                                                                |
|        19 | 6-laning of Vadakkanchery - Thrissur section of NH-47 | Increase of length of 1 - Major bridge, Tunnel - 1.0 Km                                                                                                                                  |

|   Sl. No. | Name of the Project                                                      | Details of Structures                                                                                                           |
|-----------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|        20 | Belgaum-Khanpur Section of NH-4A (Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary             | 05 underpasses, Increase of dimension of culverts and bridges, noise and light barrier                                          |
|        21 | Yamunanagar-Panchkula section of NH-73                                   | 2 ecoduct, fencing , increase of dimension of culverts and bridges, noise barrier                                               |
|        22 | Aurangabad-Barwa Adda Section of NH-2 (Gautam Buddha Wildlife Sanctuary) | 9 water tanks, bore well, underpass                                                                                             |
|        23 | Gujarat/MH Border to Jalgaon section of NH-6                             | Underpass, monkey ladder, fencing, increase of dimension of culverts and bridges, noise barrier                                 |
|        24 | Cuttak-Angul section of NH- 42                                           | Underpass, fencing, increase of dimension of culverts and bridges,                                                              |
|        25 | Panikuli -Rimuli- section of NH-215                                      | 06 Underpasses, fencing, increase of dimension of culverts and bridges,                                                         |
|        26 | Rimuli-Rajamunda section of NH-215                                       | 02 Underpasses, fencing, increase of dimension of culverts and bridges,                                                         |
|        27 | Agra-Bharatpur Sec of NH-11                                              | Underpass, fencing, water resources for birds, noise barrier                                                                    |
|        28 | Uncha Nagla Dholpur Sec of NH-123                                        | Underpass, fencing, increase of dimension of culverts and bridges                                                               |
|        29 | Chhatrishgarh/MH Boarder - Wainganga Bridge of NH-6                      | 3 Underpasses, fencing, increase of dimension of culverts and bridges                                                           |
|        30 | Four Laning of Solapur - Bijapur section of NH-13                        | 03 underpasses                                                                                                                  |
|        31 | Ganeshpur-Dehradun NH-72A                                                | 4 underpasses, 11.6 km elevated corridor, 360 m tunnel. Sound and light barrier on all structures.                              |
|        32 | Haridwar-Nagina                                                          | 5 underpasses, elevated corridor, increase in height of bridges and light/sound barrier.                                        |
|        33 | Delhi-Vadodara Expressway in Rajasthan NH-148N                           | 2.7 km elevated corridor. 5 animal underpasses 3.9 km cut-cover 700 meter bridge at NCS 4.9 km tunnel width 450 meter cut-cover |
|        34 | VME phase II                                                             | 2 Land Bridge/ Animal overpass 38 Dedicated Animal Crossing 50 Small Vehicular/ Animal Underpasses                              |
|        35 | SPUR of VME                                                              | 2 Land Bridge/ Animal overpass. 53 Dedicate Animal Crossing. 33 Small Vehicular/ Animal Underpasses                             |
|        36 | NH 347BG- Indore to Balwara                                              | 2 tunnel, 4 viaduct having length of 1590 meter for animal crossing. Increase in length of 4 nos. Major bridges                 |
|        37 | Heron River to Sindur section NH-12                                      | 03 underpasss, 01 elevated corridor, increasing the length of box culvert                                                       |
|        38 | 4-laning of 12 km stretch in Ratapani Wildlife Sanctuary                 | Elevated corridor, underpasses and increasing the dimension of box culvert                                                      |
|        39 | Ranchi-Jamshedpur section                                                | 07 underpasses                                                                                                                  |

| Sl. No.   | Name of the Project                                   | Details of Structures                                                                                                           |
|-----------|-------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 40.       | Raipur-Vishakhpatnam in Chhatisgarh                   | 2.79 km tunnel, 27 underpasses, Monkey ladder 17                                                                                |
| 41.       | Raipur-Vishakhpatnam in Orissa                        | Total length of 02 tunnel (6.29 km), 14 underpasses, Monkey ladder 17                                                           |
| 42.       | Raipur-Vishakhpatnam in Andhra Pradesh                | 03 Viaduct cum elephant underpasses                                                                                             |
| 43.       | Mancherial to Telangana/Maharashtra Border            | 02 underpasses                                                                                                                  |
| 44.       | Nagpur- Umred Bhiwapur                                | Elevated corridor                                                                                                               |
| 45.       | Bangalaore Hasan to Mangalore NH-75                   | 02 underpasses                                                                                                                  |
| 46.       | Bangalore-Mysore Madikeri - Mangalore NH-275          | 02 underpasses, 03 overpasses (ecoduct)                                                                                         |
| 47.       | Chitradugra-hospet-Bijapur NH-50                      | 05 underpasses                                                                                                                  |
| 48.       | Tumkur to Shivamogga NH- 206                          | 07 underpasses                                                                                                                  |
| 49.       | Khammam to Mangalore NH- 565                          | Increase of dimension of box culvert                                                                                            |
| 50.       | Jamunanagar to Panchkula                              | 02 underpasses                                                                                                                  |
| 51.       | Riva to Jabalpur Section                              | 05 underpasses                                                                                                                  |
| 52.       | Itarsi Betul                                          | 05 underpasses, elevated corridor, overpass/ ecoduct                                                                            |
| 53. 54.   | Gawalior Shivpuri Section Ahmedabad-Bhavnagar NH- 751 | 09 underpasses and elevated corridor 1340 elevated corridor and 03 underpasses                                                  |
| 55.       | Sanchore to Santalpur                                 | 01 elevated corridor and 12 underpasses                                                                                         |
| 56.       | Bhavnagar-Somnath Dwarka                              | 10 underpasses                                                                                                                  |
| 57.       | Sawaimadhopur-Sheopur                                 | 09 underpasses                                                                                                                  |
| 58.       | Udaipur-Ajmer Section New NH-58                       | 13 underpasses                                                                                                                  |
| 59.       | Ambikapur-Bilaspur                                    | 08 underpasses                                                                                                                  |
| 60.       | Kawardha - Raipur New NH-30                           | 06 underpasses                                                                                                                  |
| 61.       | Varanasi-Kolkata in Jharkhand                         | Total 82 number of structures in Jharkhand (elevated corridor, underpass, viaduct increase in length of minor and major bridge) |
| 62.       | Varanasi-Kolkata in Bihar                             | Tunnel and elevated corridor                                                                                                    |
| 63.       | Delhi-Katra in Punjab                                 | Increase of length of major bridge with longer span and viaduct                                                                 |
| 64.       | Bangalore-Vijayawada                                  | Tunnel elevated corridor and underpasses                                                                                        |
| 65.       | Dimapur Bypass (Nagaland Portion)                     | 2 Number of Cattle underpasses                                                                                                  |
| 66.       | Dimapur Bypass                                        | 2 Number of Cattle underpasses                                                                                                  |
|           | (Assam Portion)                                       |                                                                                                                                 |
| 67.       | Ranathambore Wildlife sanctuary on NH-552             | 2 Number of Elephant underpasses 8 animal underpasses                                                                           |

*****