Since the highway’s expansion between Hyderabad and Nizamabad, no underpasses have been constructed to facilitate wildlife movement. Regular crossings by leopards, wild boars, deer, and bears occur in the Sirnapalli and Gandhari forest areas in Nizamabad and Kamareddy districts. Monkeys are also seen on the highway, foraging for food from passing vehicles.
Indalwai forest range officer Ravi Mohan Bhatt explained to Deccan Chronicle that animal movement on NH-44 has increased since the Covid-19 pandemic, when traffic was minimal. However, there is still no fencing or underpasses for wildlife. "We submitted proposals to the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) to install fencing on both sides of the highway and construct underpasses where needed,” Bhatt said. He noted that over 12 leopards roam the Indalwai and Gandhari forest areas and that fencing could prevent wildlife fatalities.
Traffic on NH-44 increases by about 10 per cent annually, with speed limits reaching 100 km per hour, leading to frequent wildlife deaths. For instance, a recent collision involving wild boars near the Daggi forest area led to a fatal accident, claiming the life of a sarpanch from Nizamabad rural mandal.
NHAI Kamareddy unit project director C. Srinivas Rao confirmed that they are prepared to install fencing in forest areas to prevent animal deaths. "We received proposals from the forest department, and based on longitude and latitude data, black spots were identified," Rao explained. He added that construction of overbridges, service roads, and underpasses is underway from Bowenpally in Hyderabad to Bhoraj in Adilabad to facilitate smoother traffic flow.
Additionally, the state government has increased compensation for human casualties from wildlife attacks, now offering Rs 5 lakh for fatalities and Rs 1 lakh for injuries.
