NHAI offers simple solution

NHAI is in the process of four-laning the Delhi-Dehradun highway that passes through Roorkee and Hardwar. Between Hardwar and Dehraun in Uttarakhand, a 7-km long Chilla-Motichoor section passes right through the Rajaji National Park, an elephant reserve and, partly, a natural elephant corridor. The Chilla-Motichoor section connects the forests across the east and west banks of the Ganga and witnesses heavy elephant movement between February and June.

With several cases of elephants being hit by high-speed traffic along the stretch, the plan of four-laning had faced vociferous protests by the Wildlife Department. The NHAI8217;s solution is remarkably simple. 8220;We suggested that the road be elevated wherever it intersects the elephant corridors, creating a kind of underpass for the elephants to pass through without being disturbed by traffic. The Wildlife Department was quite pleased and has cleared the proposal. There will be at least two elevated road sections, measuring 850 metres, with underpasses for the elephants,8221; says a senior official from NHAI.

The construction cost for the four-lane elevated roads with underpasses is estimated at Rs 32-40 crore, said officials. 8220;We are also interested in the project8230; There have been so many accidents on the roads, injuring and even killing elephants. If the road traffic goes above the elephant corridors, this problem will be addressed,8221; says Srikant Chandola, Chief Wildlife Warden, Uttarakhand.