4 October 2020.

Introduction:

 India is set to see its first-ever animal overpasses, aimed to facilitate safe passage of wildlife., These passes will be built to ensure smooth movement of animals and to ensure that the Ranthambore Wildlife Corridor, connecting Ranthambore and Mukundra (Darrah) wildlife sanctuaries, are not disturbed

 Highlights:

• The plan of the animal bridges have been approved by the Central Wildlife Board.
•  The Rajasthan Government has also approved the project. Following these approvals, the NHAI (National Highway Authority of India) has begun the infrastructure activities.
•  The work to construct these animal bridges is to begin by November or December, 2020.

About Animal Bridges:

 

• The animal bridges are natural looking structures over the corridor that will provide safe passage for the wildlife.
• The animals under the plan will get passage at every 500-metre interval.
• The animal passages are to be developed as a part of forest corridor with trees. Therefore, the animals will find the corridor natural.
• The animal bridges will have boundary wall of eight metres with a sound barrier of 3-4 metres in the wildlife section.
• Under the plan, around five underground stretches are to be developed. The combined length of these stretches is 2.5 km.
• The animal bridges will help prevent man-animal conflict and also avoid collisions between animals and vehicles.