*Over Rs.19,700 crore invested in wildlife mitigation infrastructure and environmental safeguards in last five years
*More than 2,150 wildlife mitigation structures have been constructed and/or proposed along National Highways across the country
TTT NEWS NETWORK
NEW DELHI | 8 OCTOBER 2026
Highlighting initiatives towards integrating wildlife conservation into National Highway planning, design, and implementation, National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) released a document on ‘Wildlife Mitigation Measures & Structures’ Commemorating ‘National Wildlife Week’ from 2nd – 8th October 2026. The document was recently released by Shri Nitin Gadkari, Hon’ble Minister for Road Transport and Highways during Chintan Shivir held in Ekta Nagar, Gujarat. The document reflects NHAI’s approach towards developing National Highway infrastructure that balances requirements of connectivity and mobility with environmental sustainability and wildlife conservation.
Over last five years, around Rs. 19,700 crores have been invested in wildlife mitigation infrastructure and related environmental protection measures across National Highway projects. These interventions are aimed at addressing key challenges associated with National Highway infrastructure development, including habitat fragmentation, barrier effects and wildlife–vehicle collisions, while maintaining safe movement of traffic.
NHAI’s mitigation planning is guided by the ecological sensitivity of project corridors, wildlife movement patterns and the technical feasibility of infrastructure design. This enables wildlife mitigation measures to be planned according to the specific ecological and engineering requirements of individual highway corridors.
More than 2,150 Wildlife Mitigation Structures
The document outlines a structured framework for wildlife mitigation planning incorporating both structural measures including underpasses, overpasses, culverts and canopy crossings as well as non-structural interventions like signage, fencing and speed regulation etc. More than 2,150 wildlife mitigation structures have been constructed and/or proposed along National Highways across the country. These also include Animal Under Passes (AUPs), bridge-integrated crossings such as major bridge-cum-AUPs and minor bridge-cum-AUPs, culverts adapted for faunal movement, canopy crossings and other specialised structures.
As part of the structural mitigation measures, around Rs. 4,600 crores have been invested in animal underpasses, Rs. 650 crores in animal overpasses, Rs. 8,300 crores in viaducts, Rs. 2,800 crores in tunnels, Rs. 2,500 crores in major bridges and Rs. 500 crores in minor bridges. These structures facilitate safe wildlife movement across highway corridors and help maintain ecological connectivity between habitats.
NHAI has complemented these structural measures with a range of non-structural interventions aimed at minimising disturbance and improving habitat conditions such as noise barriers, reptile crossings, rainwater harvesting and other wildlife management interventions.
Integrated Approach to Wildlife Protection
To guide wildlife towards designated crossing structures and reduce the possibility of animal–vehicle conflicts, guide fencing and noise barriers have been provided at over 300 km of National Highway alignments.
NHAI has also established monitoring mechanisms, including camera trapping, to assess wildlife movement patterns and support periodic evaluation of mitigation measures. Wildlife–vehicle collision hotspots are identified and appropriate measures, including speed-regulation boards and signages, are provided to minimise risks to wildlife as well as highway users.
Balancing Infrastructure Development with Ecological Conservation
Document also underscores the importance of collaboration between the conservation community and agencies involved in National Highway infrastructure development. The approach adopted by NHAI seeks to ensure that mitigation measures are incorporated at different stages of National Highway development, enabling infrastructure expansion to be undertaken with due regard to biodiversity conservation and statutory environmental compliance requirements. The detailed document is available on NHAI website at https://nhai.gov.in/nhai/sites/default/files/mix_file/NHAI-Wildlife_Mitigation_Measures_and_Structures.pdf
Covering recent initiatives and project implementations, the document reflects NHAI’s commitment to incorporate various environmental protection measures for National Highway infrastructure development. It will serve as a reference framework, documenting the range of mitigation measures and structures being adopted across National Highway projects.
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