Mumbai: Activists seek stronger animal safety measures at key crossings

Majority of accidents have been reported on the Ghodbunder village and Vasai stretch. File pic/Satej Shinde

River March, a city-based group working on nature and wildlife conservation, has written to the director of Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) drawing attention to the growing threat faced by wild animals along the Thane-Ghodbunder Road and the Western Express Highway.

The group has called for the immediate installation and upkeep of wildlife crossing signages, and the creation of culverts, stating that these measures are crucial to ensure the safe movement of animals through this key wildlife corridor.

In the letter, activist and nature lover Gopal Jhaveri and his River March team pointed out that both these arterial roads form a crucial wildlife corridor, linking SGNP with the Gorai mangroves and further extending towards the Tungareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary.

"This corridor is regularly used by leopards and several other wild species moving between these habitats. It is a matter of serious concern that despite repeated wildlife crossings being reported at these locations, adequate mitigation measures are not being properly maintained," said Jhaveri. On Diwali night in November 2020, a pregnant leopard along with her three cubs was mowed down by a speeding vehicle along this highway.

"This tragic incident highlights the serious threat that high-speed traffic poses to wildlife along this corridor. Although warning signboards and speed limit demarcations were installed initially, they have since been neglected. At present, there appears to be no active effort by either the forest department or the highway authority to maintain or enforce these crucial safety measures, despite the continued risk to wildlife and the corridor's vital role in maintaining ecological connectivity," Jhaveri said.

Demands by River March

. Immediate reinstatement, regular maintenance of wildlife crossing signboards with clearly marked speed limits
. Proper demarcation of identified wildlife crossing points to alert motorists
. Sensitisation measures for road users, supported by visual information wherever possible
. Coordination with relevant road authorities such as MSRDC and the National Highway Authority for long-term mitigation
. Consideration of permanent structural measures like underpasses or culverts, in line with earlier mitigation plans

Did you know?

A study conducted under the ‘Mumbaikars for SGNP' initiative of Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) in 2012 revealed that 40 leopards died in road accidents along the periphery of SGNP between 1994 and 2011. A majority of the accidents took place on the stretch between Ghodbunder village and Vasai, near Tungareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary. Last year, authorities had said they would be considering an underpass, but nothing has happened yet. Another 21 leopards have been killed in accidents along the roads and railway tracks in Mumbai and the MMR since 2012.