Wildlife Corridor Established on UP-Uttarakhand Border: A New Destination for Tourists—Boasting a Wealth of Attractions.

The Delhi-Dehradun Expressway stands as an unparalleled example of the balance between development and ecology. The magnificent wildlife corridor built along this route—spanning from Ganeshpur to Datkali in the form of an elevated road—draws significant attention due to its numerous distinctive features.

It traverses the region situated between Uttarakhand’s Rajaji Tiger Reserve and Uttar Pradesh’s Shivalik Forest Division. The safe movement of wildlife beneath this structure has already commenced. This development has granted the wildlife of Rajaji the freedom to roam unhindered all the way to Haryana’s Kalesar National Park.

On Tuesday, prior to the inauguration of the expressway, Prime Minister Narendra Modi stopped at a designated viewpoint located on this elevated road in Mohand. From there, he not only observed the wildlife corridor but also admired the scenic beauty of the Rajaji and Shivalik hills.

Tourist Numbers Set to Rise for Wildlife Sightings

While travelers passing through this wildlife corridor are bound to enjoy a delightful experience, an increase in tourist numbers is also now anticipated at the designated tourist zone located within the Chillawali Range of the Rajaji Tiger Reserve, near Mohand. The Chillawali tourist zone is home to an abundance of wildlife, including leopards, elephants, deer, and various other species.

Tourists visit the area specifically to catch a close glimpse of these animals; however, their numbers are now expected to rise further. The reason for this is that, historically, the presence of the road made it difficult for wildlife to move between the Chillawali and Shivalik ranges. Now that the corridor has become fully operational, tourists will be able to witness the wildlife with much greater ease.

The Wildlife Corridor is Divided into Three Zones

This wildlife corridor is demarcated into three distinct zones. These zones encompass the areas extending from Ganeshpur to Mohand and up to Asharodi.

How ​​the Corridor’s Route Was Charted

The final 20-kilometer stretch of the Delhi-Dehradun Expressway passes through the dense forest regions of Uttar Pradesh’s Shivalik Forest Division, as well as Uttarakhand’s Rajaji Tiger Reserve and Dehradun Forest Division. To facilitate this project, 9.6224 hectares of forest land belonging to Uttarakhand and 47.7054 hectares of forest land falling within the jurisdiction of Uttar Pradesh were transferred along National Highway-72A, spanning the stretch from Ganeshpur to Dehradun.

The Benefits:

The construction of the corridor has made the movement of wildlife safer and more seamless.

Damage resulting from accidents involving wildlife will be significantly minimized.

For the first time, an elevated road has been constructed across an extensive stretch, traversing both riverine and forest areas.

The expansion of the wildlife roaming range will foster the development of a high-quality wildlife gene pool.