Road and Highway Ministry asks State Govts to identify accident blackspots

For the first time, the Road and Highway Ministry has woken up to the need of reducing animal mortality on State roads and national highways. For this purpose, the Ministry has asked State Governments and other stakeholders of wildlife and environment to assist it in identifying accident blackspots.

The Ministry is already rectifying identified blackspots to curtail human fatality on highways.

Sources said the Ministry has asked the Central road making agency NHAI and the States to replicate the same model. This includes conducting studies for road engineering favourable to animal movement, constructing underpasses, elevated corridors, via-ducts, cut and cover, guardwall, fencing, watchtower, solar pumps, ponds for drinking water for animals.

“Similar exercises are being undertaken in the forest area of MP, Maharashtra, Odisha, Uttarakhand, as part of a campaign ‘Prevention of Human and Animal Mortality on Highways’. There is a need for generating awareness and educating for the masses towards reducing or eliminating both human and animal fatality,” Road Transport & Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said.

Incidentally, the NHAI has provided via-ducts worth Rs 1300 crore on Nagpur-Jabalpur Highway to create right-of-way for the tigers.

The Ministry has requested all agencies to follow the provisions of the manual titled “eco-friendly measures to mitigate impacts of linear infrastructure on wildlife” issued by Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun for making a road or any linear infrastructure safe for wildlife.

“The Ministry has also requested NGOs and social organisations to locate blackspots for animals on the roads so that necessary corrective action may be taken,” said a senior MoRTH official.

The Centre and different organisations in combined are spending a substantial amount on creating infrastructure conducive to animal use. The Road Ministry has identified over 5,000 blackspots and the process for their rectification including temporary and permanent measures is being carried out on an urgent basis.

“SOPs regarding the procedure for rectification of blackspots for taking up short-term and long-term permanent measures have already been issued. Till date, temporary measures on 1,739 newly identified blackspots and permanent measures on 840 newly identified blackspots have already been taken,” said a MoRTH official.