The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has released new guidance on integrating wildlife conservation into national highway planning, with measures covering animal crossings, guide fencing, speed regulation and monitoring to reduce wildlife–vehicle collisions and habitat fragmentation.
The document, titled Wildlife Mitigation Measures & Structures, was released by Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari during a Chintan Shivir in Ekta Nagar, Gujarat, to mark National Wildlife Week, observed from October 2 to 8, 2026.
According to NHAI, around ₹19,700 crore has been invested in wildlife mitigation infrastructure and related environmental safeguards over the past five years. More than 2,150 wildlife mitigation structures have been constructed and/or proposed along national highways across India.
The guidance covers animal underpasses, overpasses, viaducts, tunnels, bridges, culverts and canopy crossings designed to maintain ecological connectivity and facilitate safer wildlife movement across highway corridors.
NHAI reported investments of ₹8,300 crore in viaducts, ₹4,600 crore in animal underpasses, ₹2,800 crore in tunnels, ₹2,500 crore in major bridges, ₹650 crore in animal overpasses and ₹500 crore in minor bridges.
Guide fencing and noise barriers have also been provided along more than 300 km of national highways to direct animals towards designated crossing structures.
Other measures include speed-regulation boards, warning signage, reptile crossings and camera-trap monitoring to track animal movement and identify wildlife–vehicle collision hotspots.
The guidance emphasises incorporating wildlife safeguards at different stages of highway planning, design and implementation, based on corridor-specific ecological conditions, animal movement patterns and engineering feasibility.
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