‘When it comes to roads in India, we should build what we need, no more’
Roads, over time, have a net-negative impact on the ecosystem. The move away from tar at least is a good step, says wildlife biologist Anish Andheria. See why.
Think of the many times you’ve heard of trees being felled for road-building or road-widening.
Multiply that across a tropical subcontinent, in the midst of a road-building spree.
The BJP-led NDA government has added 50,000 km of national highway across the country, over the past decade; a hike of more than 50% in total area covered by such roads. Another 202 national highway projects worth thousands of crores are in the works.
“Roads have come to be thought of as a definition for development. But after a certain point, the same roads and infrastructure start having a net-negative impact on the system as a whole,” says Anish Andheria, a wildlife biologist, member of the Maharashtra State Board of Wildlife, and president of the not-for-profit organisation Wildlife Conservation Trust (WCT).
The trees and green patches at whose expense roads are often built are not just home to flora and fauna, he adds. “They are systems that form the backbone of our human ecosystems, societies and economies. Indiscriminate land acquisition to build roads can then spell long-term disaster. The West made this mistake. In the US, there are efforts now to depave roads, demolish dams on wetlands, and restore natural systems. We should learn from their mistakes, rather than repeating them.”
Over the years, Andheria and WCT have worked with forest departments in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, among others, to help plan the paths that new roads will take, so as to cause the least disruption to natural ecosystems and animal habitats.
In the wild, Andheria and WCT consult on elements such as animal crossings, adding native trees to such overpasses to make them seem more contiguous with the forest and picking materials for construction that will do the least to further alter the habitat.
The move away from tar is a good step being taken in India, he says. “Tar, because of its nature and colour, traps far too much heat. That’s one reason it melts in intense heat the way it does.”
Trees are a good idea, wherever they can be added along roads, he adds. “Roads tend to absorb ambient heat and raise atmospheric temperatures. Trees can keep direct sunlight from reaching the street, helping mitigate this effect.”
Planting the right species of trees is vital. Pick species native to the region, over generic ornamentals. Flowering and fruiting invasives can be particularly harmful because they draw pollinators to the region that are indifferent to native species, thereby altering the ecosystem to an even greater degree.
But Andheria’s most fundamental piece of advice: Wherever possible, build small, he says. Build what we need, no more.
