Dehradun, April 14 -- Uttarakhand forest minister Subodh Uniyal on Monday said the Delhi-Dehradun Economic Corridor represents a significant example of balancing infrastructure development with environmental conservation, ahead of the proposed inauguration of the project by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday. Addressing a media briefing in Dehradun, Uniyal provided details on the environmental safeguards incorporated into the project and the benefits expected for forests and wildlife. "The corridor will also contribute to environmental sustainability by reducing carbon dioxide emissions by around 2.44 million tonnes over the next 20 years, equivalent to the carbon sequestration of nearly 60-65 lakh (6.0-6.5 million) trees, and is expected to result in nearly 19% fuel savings," he said. Uniyal said, "The final 20 km stretch of the corridor passes through dense forest areas of the Shivalik Forest Division in Uttar Pradesh and through the Rajaji Tiger Reserve and the Dehradun Forest Division in Uttarakhand. Despite passing through ecologically sensitive regions, the project has been designed to maintain ecological balance while enabling improved connectivity". He said that compensatory afforestation has been carried out on a large scale in Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh in connection with forest land diverted for the project. "Plantation work has been undertaken over 165.5 hectares of land, where around 1.95 lakh (195,000) saplings have been planted". He added that under the direction of the Supreme Court of India's monitoring committee, eco-restoration works for forest and wildlife conservation are also being undertaken with an additional expenditure of Rs.40 crore. Uniyal further said that the project includes the construction of Asia's longest elevated wildlife corridor of around 12 km along the national highway stretch. The corridor has been designed to ensure the safe movement of wildlife and includes elephant underpasses and multiple wildlife crossings. "During the construction of the project, wildlife safety was given top priority and all necessary precautionary measures were adopted. These measures include the installation of sound and light barriers to reduce the impact of noise and light pollution on wildlife in the forest areas", he said. The forest minister added that the "elevated corridor is expected to reduce incidents of human-wildlife conflict and facilitate safe movement of animals across the forest landscape". This will also support better genetic exchange among wildlife populations, which is crucial for maintaining biodiversity, he said. Uniyal said that the Delhi-Dehradun Economic Corridor will significantly reduce travel time between the national capital and Uttarakhand and will boost tourism, trade and local employment opportunities, thereby strengthening the regional economy. He said that the project serves as an example of sustainable infrastructure development that integrates environmental protection with economic growth and could act as a model for future projects across the country....