UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — NHAI and WII Study Highlights Effectiveness of Wildlife Mitigation Measures on Delhi–Dehradun Economic Corridor
Q1. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), the implementing agency for the Delhi–Dehradun Economic Corridor, was constituted as a statutory body under which of the following?
- A. The National Highways Act, 1956
- B. The National Highways Authority of India Act, 1988
- C. The Control of National Highways (Land and Traffic) Act, 2002
- D. The Road Transport Corporations Act, 1950
Q2. With reference to the two agencies behind the 'Landscapes Reconnected' study, consider the following statements:
1. NHAI functions under the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, whereas the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) is an autonomous institute of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
2. Both NHAI and WII were brought into existence by the same Act of Parliament.
3. The Wildlife Institute of India is headquartered at Dehradun, the city that anchors the eastern end of the Delhi–Dehradun Economic Corridor.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- NHAI functions under the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, whereas the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) is an autonomous institute of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
- Both NHAI and WII were brought into existence by the same Act of Parliament.
- The Wildlife Institute of India is headquartered at Dehradun, the city that anchors the eastern end of the Delhi–Dehradun Economic Corridor.
- A. 1 only
- B. 1 and 3 only
- C. 2 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q3. Rajaji, through whose Shivalik landscape the corridor's wildlife-passage section runs, is a notified Tiger Reserve. Which single authority is the statutory nodal body for the constitution and management oversight of tiger reserves in India?
- A. The National Tiger Conservation Authority
- B. The Wildlife Institute of India
- C. The Central Zoo Authority
- D. The Zoological Survey of India
Q4. In the NHAI–WII study, the forested Shivalik–Rajaji stretch traversed by the corridor is described as habitat for how many of the following named flagship/endangered fauna — tigers, elephants, great hornbills and king cobras?
- A. Two
- B. Three
- C. Four
- D. Six
Q5. The Delhi–Dehradun Economic Corridor is a greenfield access-controlled highway. Under which flagship programme of the Government of India is it being developed?
- A. Bharatmala Pariyojana
- B. Setu Bharatam
- C. Parvatmala Pariyojana
- D. Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana
Q6. On which section of the Delhi–Dehradun Economic Corridor is the ~12 km wildlife-passage package built, featuring an elevated wildlife corridor (average 6–7 m height) described as among Asia's largest?
- A. Ganeshpur–Asharodi section
- B. Akshardham–Baghpat section
- C. Saharanpur–Roorkee section
- D. Haridwar–Rishikesh section
Q7. Consider the following statements regarding wildlife-crossing structures used on Indian highways:
1. An animal underpass allows wildlife to cross beneath the raised road/viaduct structure.
2. The Ganeshpur–Asharodi package includes an elevated wildlife corridor averaging 6–7 m in height.
3. Canopy bridges are engineered primarily to allow safe passage of large megafauna such as elephants.
4. On NH-44 through the Pench Tiger Reserve corridor, NHAI constructed nine underpasses for wildlife movement.
Which of the statements given above is/are NOT correct?
- An animal underpass allows wildlife to cross beneath the raised road/viaduct structure.
- The Ganeshpur–Asharodi package includes an elevated wildlife corridor averaging 6–7 m in height.
- Canopy bridges are engineered primarily to allow safe passage of large megafauna such as elephants.
- On NH-44 through the Pench Tiger Reserve corridor, NHAI constructed nine underpasses for wildlife movement.
- A. 3 only
- B. 1 and 3
- C. 2 and 4
- D. 3 and 4
Q8. The post-construction, camera-trap-based monitoring of wildlife use of the underpasses on the Delhi–Dehradun Economic Corridor was carried out by which institution?
- A. Wildlife Institute of India
- B. Zoological Survey of India
- C. Botanical Survey of India
- D. Indian Institute of Forest Management
Q9. The report 'Landscapes Reconnected', documenting camera-trap evidence of wildlife using the Ganeshpur–Asharodi underpasses, was jointly released by which pair of entities?
- A. NHAI and the Wildlife Institute of India
- B. Ministry of Road Transport & Highways and the National Tiger Conservation Authority
- C. NHAI and the Zoological Survey of India
- D. Wildlife Institute of India and the National Board for Wildlife
Q10. With reference to the findings of the 'Landscapes Reconnected' study, consider the following statements:
1. The monitoring documented 40,444 camera-trap images attributed to 18 unique wild species using the underpasses.
2. The Golden Jackal was the most frequently recorded species, followed by Nilgai, Sambar and Spotted Deer.
3. During the entire monitoring period, not a single instance of elephants using the corridors was recorded.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- The monitoring documented 40,444 camera-trap images attributed to 18 unique wild species using the underpasses.
- The Golden Jackal was the most frequently recorded species, followed by Nilgai, Sambar and Spotted Deer.
- During the entire monitoring period, not a single instance of elephants using the corridors was recorded.
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 1 and 3 only
- C. 2 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q11. A linear infrastructure project passing through or near a wildlife/elephant corridor and protected area requires the recommendation of which body before clearance is granted?
- A. The Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife
- B. The Central Pollution Control Board
- C. The National Green Tribunal
- D. The Forest Survey of India
Q12. Project Elephant, the centrally sponsored scheme aimed at conserving elephants and their habitats and corridors, was launched by the Government of India in which year?
- A. 1972
- B. 1973
- C. 1992
- D. 2003