India's First Light & Sound Proof Highway in Madhya Pradesh: All You Need To Know

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari had inaugurated India's first-ever soundproof highway at Seoni, Madhya Pradesh. This highway would be situated on National Highway 7, which passes through Pench Tiger Reserve which is why it has to be constructed in a way that does not bother the animals living in the area. 

This NH 44 Highway goes upto Nagpur. Take a look below at the specialities of the Highway along with the details of the project and know how it has been made light and soundproof here. 

About the Highway:

1. Generally, the Highways or roads that pass through the protected areas need to be such that they avoid human-animal conflict. It poses dangers to both wildlife and human beings at the same time. 
2. Building light and soundproof highway would be a win-win situation for both humans and animals 
3. The highway is being built at the Seoni - Nagpur sector passing through National Highway 44 in the Pench Tiger Reserve. 
4. The passage will be 29 kilometres between Mohgaon and Khawasa. 
5. 14 underpasses will be constructed and safe passage for the passers would be ensured through them 
6. The underpasses are 3145 metres long overall.
7. The stretch of 29 kilometres has cost the Government a whopping 960 crores. 

How is the Highway Soundproof and Lightproof?

The Highway would have 4 metres high steel walls on both its sides to absorb all the sound that is passing between the roads. 

The walls would ensure that the sound from the passing vehicles would not disturb the animals living in that area. The walls will also ensure the dimming of the glaring headlights at night. 

However, it would not be possible to block complete noise of the highway, but the noise barriers would be able to reduce the sounds effectively. 

It can be noted that masonry walls like brick walls or walls of concrete are ideal for blocking sound but still, they cannot be built around the highway completely. 

The effectiveness of the noise barriers would be across 300 feet inside the protected area. 

The highway would also have light reducers on the barriers to avoid any light passing through the forests. 

Why Was the Project Delayed?

At the beginning of the plan, the National Highway Authority of India had not received any clearance from the Environment Ministry and authorities working in this regard. The Highway was being considered a threat to the Pench Tiger Reserve which was a home and ecological habitat of large mammals. In 2009, NHAI gave this contract of building the Seoni Nagpur Four Lane flyover for INR 1170 crore but after the animal activists protested the Highway Authority agreed to embed an additional cost into the contract for underpasses and bridges. NHAI had also agreed to protect the animals by building guide walls and nine underpasses of 50-750 m at various places on the 37 km road. 

This is why the Road and Transport Ministry came up with the idea of constructing a Highway in such a way that the damage to animals through light and sound can be minimised. Thus the Highway came into existence. 

Pench Tiger Reserve:

The Pench sanctuary is a wildlife habitat that once had set the backdrop for Rudyard Kipling's fictional masterpiece, The Jungle Book. Can you imagine Mowgli roaming Pench Tiger Reserves? It spreads across 741 square kilometres in Maharashtra and 1,180 square kilometres in Madhya Pradesh.