Udaipur-area road project receives in-principle approval to divert 14.6568 hectares of forest land

On 29 October, the regional office of the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in Gandhinagar granted in-principle approval to divert 14.6568 hectares of reserved and protected forests for widening and strengthening a road project near Udaipur, Rajasthan. The approval is not final: the relevant department must meet 35 conditions before it can receive final permission to use the forest land.

Planting and wildlife safeguards

Compensatory planting is planned on an equal area of non-forest land at Bandanwara village, with about 14,650 saplings. Three low-height wildlife underpasses are planned to help animals cross the road. The order also bars labour camps in the forest, limits tree felling to essential cases under Forest Department supervision, and requires four-foot cement-concrete pillars along the forest boundary.

Important Facts for Exams

• Compensatory afforestation: Compensatory afforestation combines tree planting and associated regeneration to offset forest land diverted to non-forest activities.
• Crossing structures: Wildlife crossings include underpasses and overpasses, as well as specialised passages such as amphibian tunnels and canopy bridges.
• Road impacts on wildlife: Roads can reduce habitat, increase collision deaths, block access to resources and split wildlife populations into smaller groups.