Govt Proposes Wildlife Corridor With Road Project To Protect Animals

Human-wildlife conflict has become a familiar news in the country and government's across the country have been committing to bring about an ecological balance. Among the notable projects in the works toward this is the wildlife corridor on the Chhattisgarh-Jharkhand economic corridor. This corridor project has placed importance on every aspect from pipes for snakes to safe passage for elephants. It takes into consideration minute aspects and would potentially provide for a much-needed solution against the man vs animal conflicts across the 627 km-long four-lane road from Chhattisgarh to Jharkhand.

The project to be laid down on the road extending from Chhattisgarh to Jharkhand is being constructed across both an economically and ecologically important expanse. A 627 km-long four-lane road from Raipur to Dhanbad is already in the talks under the Centre’s Bharatmala scheme. What strikes the chord is that this economic corridor is being ideated with special provisions for the protection of wild animals. The central government has given special emphasis on environmental protection and establishing an ecological balance for the safety of all living beings, while planning new projects.

Minimising Accidents For Wildlife Protection

The Chattisgarh-Jharkhand project comes along with a special construction keeping in mind that more than 30 per cent of the region is dense forests. A report by India Today quoted director of Korba project, DD Parlawar, saying that a significant number of wildlife species, including wild elephants and various other animals, inhabit the dense forests along the route. Survey regarding the area covered by forests and a viable design for the wildlife corridor was drafted by the Forest Department's retired senior officers' organisation, 'We the Forester's Welfare Society'. Having known the forest region quite well, the organisation was able to pen a design that caters to every element of the wildlife protection without interfering with the economic corridor project.

The proposed design looks to minimise or eradicate incidents of animals being run over by vehicles. Parlawar mentions that the corridor project consists of a ground-level path with hume pipes at intervals of 500 metres, built for the snakes' movement. Building over this, the design comes with low platforms, about four feet long and four feet wide, on both sides of the hume pipe to avoid other small forest creatures from getting hit by vehicles on the road.

As large number of wild elephants cross across the forest areas of Korba Raigarh Jashpur district, 12 spots were identified and marked where they frequently move. Across these flagged spots, 12 metre high underpasses will be constructed through which wild elephants can easily cross the road. Construction of the project would provide a solution for groups of wild elephants gathering on the road. It would also resolve the concern of wild elephants attacking pedestrians on the road. As per reports, construction of the economic corridor along with the special wildlife corridor will soon begin.

Also Read: Delhi-NCR To Get Country's First Wildlife Corridor To Ensure Safe Movement Of Animals