Mumbai: Wildlife underpasses to prevent roadkill on E-way

Mumbai: Wildlife underpasses to prevent roadkill on E-way

A leopard was found dead on the Mumbai-Nasik highway on Monday

The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) is striking a fine balance between infrastructure growth and wildlife conservation. It plans to construct underpasses along the proposed R30,000-crore six-lane Mumbai-Pune Supercommunication Expressway on areas close to wildlife sanctuaries to prevent roadkills.

A senior MSRDC official said the nodal agency is "serious about protecting the wildlife" and the wildlife crossings will help achieve this target.The expressway will pass close to the forested patch between Nasik and Mumbai, including stretches near Igatpuri, Kasara and Shahpur near the Tansa wildlife sanctuary.

Wildlife crossings will go a long way in preventing accidents like the one on the Mumbai-Nasik highway on Monday. An adult leopard was found dead, presumably a victim of a hit-and-run, near the Ghoti toll plaza.

R Dhomse, range forest officer from Igatpuri, Nasik forest department, said two commuters on the highway spotted the leopard's carcass. "A post-mortem examination was performed, and the carcass cremated. People who drive close to the forested patch should avoid speeding," he advised. The ambitious expressway project, which is being pushed by the CM himself, will cover 10 districts through a distance of 710 km, and will cut travel time between Mumbai and Nasik from 15 hours to 10 hours. Work is expected to begin in January next and wrapped by 2019.

According to the pre-feasibility report -- based on a study of areas from Talegaon village, Nasik to Vad­ape village in Thane -- over 150 he­ctares of forest land and ghats will be affected by the project. The expressway will be 2 km from the eco-sensitive zone of Tansa sanctuary, 6.5 km from Tungareshwar and 17.5 km from Kalsubai Harishchandragad's.