In a major policy revision, India’s National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has narrowed the definition of recognized tiger corridors to just 32 “least cost pathways” from its 2014 report, plus those found in official Tiger Conservation Plans (TCPs). This trimmed-down list excludes more comprehensive scientific data from the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) and the All-India Tiger Estimation (AITE), as well as network analyses identifying around 192 corridors across central India that connect reserves and 150 protected areas.

This shift streamlines development clearances, especially for projects located outside these designated paths. Companies like Western Coalfields Limited and Lloyds Metals & Energy in Maharashtra now face fewer hurdles under environmental scrutiny.

However, conservationists warn the policy rollback endangers tiger dispersal, habitat connectivity, and genetic diversity cornerstones of long-term species survival. The Bombay High Court is examining legal challenges related to this shift, with implications for regions spanning Maharashtra to Karnataka.