Delhi-Dehradun Corridor: 16-km elevated stretch to help animals coexist with commuters

A 16 km elevated corridor is among the major attractions of the Delhi-Saharanpur-Dehradun economic corridor that is expected to cut the time distance between Dehradun and Delhi by four hours.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday, December 4, inaugurated the project, that will allow unrestricted movement of animals even as commuters, including tourists, drive along the 16-km elevated stretch on the corridor connecting Delhi, Ganeshpur-Mohand in Uttar Pradesh's Saharanpur district, and Dehradun.

(An artistic impression of the completed corridor, Image: @PIBDehradun/Twitter)

The elevator corridor will run along National Highway 72A for a 28km stretch situated between the Shivalik forest range that is home to several species of wildlife, including elephants. According to officials, the 16 km elevated highway will be the country’s first such road passing through forest areas. Notably, the Rajaji Tiger Reserve sits on one side of the forest.

Presently, the two-lane NH 72A gateway to Uttarakhand that goes up to Dehradun is a busy road that witnesses heavy traffic and is often chocked by long jams. During peak traffic, the 40-minute journey on a 28 km stretch, including a 12 km lane connecting Uttarakhand's Mohand and Daat Kali temple, often extends to 60 minutes, or at times 120 minutes.

Additionally, according to national highway authorities, a total of 120 horizontal curves that are on the hilly terrain, reduce vehicle speed to 25-30 km per hour.

Apart from the traffic, the region is highly inconvenient and dangerous for wildlife in the Shivalik hills - the sub-Himalayan mountain range that covers parts of Jammu & Kashmir, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, and Haryana.

Elevated Corridor plan

India’s first elevated wildlife corridor will be built in two phases. The first will be a 12-km stretch between Uttarakhand's Mohand and Daat Kali Mandir, and the second will be a 4-km stretch from Daat Kali temple to Asharodi. The project is being built at an estimated cost of Rs 8,300 crore and is expected to be completed by the end of 2024.

Laying the foundation stone for the project PM Modu said, "Our mountains are not only strongholds of faith and our culture. They are also the fortresses of our country's security. One of the top priorities of the country is to make life easier for the people living in the mountains.”

(An artistic impression of the completed corridor, Image: @PIBDehradun/Twitter)

Once completed, the project, which will see the felling several trees, a majority in Uttar Pradesh, is expected to cut short the distance between Dehradun and Delhi to 2.5 hours.