The wildlife crossings along the highway close to the Chitwan National Park (CNP) have failed to facilitate the movement of larger animals like elephants and rhinos, according to the park officials. 

They said Rs 50 million was spent to construct four underpass crossings, each measuring four metres wide and five metres high, along the road, but they are not commodious for larger animals.

Chief Conservation Officer Ramchandra Kandel said the park authority was not consulted when those wildlife crossings were built.

“The crossings that we have here do not ensure safe passage for animals crossing the highway. They are too narrow and low for adult elephants and rhinos. Even small animals have difficulty using the crossings because their decks are not levelled with the ground,” he said.

The CNP officials say that the park animals rarely use the wildlife crossings.

Engineer Shiva Khanal, refused the CNP authority’s claim that the underpass crossings were too small for larger animals and they were constructed without doing proper homework.

“We did consult with wildlife experts during the desigin process. Elephants and rhinos can easily move from those crossings. As for the decks not being levelled with the ground, we can readily fix the issue to facilitate the wildlife movement,” he said.