India’s First Animal Overpass in Delhi

In a landmark move, India’s first animal overpass has been developed on the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, specifically through the Ranthambore Tiger Reserve’s buffer zone.

This pioneering project reflects India's commitment to eco-sensitive highway development and sets a precedent in wildlife-friendly infrastructure development in India.

Key Highlights

• Location: 12 km stretch on the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway

• Region: Ranthambore Tiger Reserve’s buffer zone

• Governing Body: National Highways Authority of India (NHAI)

• Core Focus: Wildlife protection and green infrastructure

This project marks a historic moment as India’s first animal overpass and stands as a leading example of sustainable road development.

Structures Built for Wildlife Movement

Every element of the design of India’s first animal overpass emphasizes safety and eco-sensitive highway development in India.

Environmental and Eco-Friendly Measures

• Natural Terrain Design: The animal overpasses follow the landscape, reducing disruption to natural habitats.

• Active Monitoring: Camera traps show tigers and bears using the wildlife corridor expressway.

• On-Ground Safety: Manpower deployed every 200 metres during construction.

• Afforestation Drive: 35,000 trees planted across the corridor.

• Sustainable Features: Rainwater harvesting and modular construction to reduce waste.

These measures reinforce the role of India’s first animal overpass in blending infrastructure and wildlife conservation.

Connecting Tiger Corridors and Wildlife Zones

The corridor facilitates animal movement between Ranthambore and Chambal Valley, minimizing roadkill and avoiding human-animal conflict.

As part of the tiger corridor network, this project protects endangered species and sets a blueprint for future animal bridges in India.

The animal overpass built through Ranthambore Reserve exemplifies India's move toward wildlife crossing models that respect biodiversity.

India’s First Animal Overpass: A Model for the Nation

This project isn’t isolated. It’s part of a national trend:

• Punjab: Planning urban wildlife corridor on the Zirakpur bypass

• Maharashtra: Samruddhi Mahamarg includes 209 underpasses and 8 animal overpasses

These developments confirm that India’s first animal overpass is inspiring a wave of eco highways and wildlife-friendly infrastructure nationwide.

Relevance for Exams and Current Affairs

The topic of India’s first animal overpass is essential for SSC and other competitive exams under:

• Environment and Ecology

• Geography and Infrastructure

• Sustainable Development Policies

It integrates topics like expressway projects, green expressway initiatives, and wildlife bridge engineering.

Summary Table

Final Thoughts

India’s first animal overpass is not just an achievement in civil engineering—it’s a bold declaration that green infrastructure can coexist with national development.

The combination of wildlife corridors, animal bridges, and eco highways offers a replicable model across states.

As India's eco-friendly roads become a reality, the success of India’s first animal overpass proves that future expressway projects can protect animals and progress simultaneously.