 "Cabinet okays ₹6,957-cr NH upgrade with wildlife corridor at Kaziranga")
The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the widening and improvement of the four-lane Kalibor–Numaligarh section of National Highway (NH)-715, including the implementation of wildlife-friendly measures for Kaziranga National Park in Assam.
The 85-kilometre project will be developed in Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) mode at a cost of Rs 6,957 crore.
“A major part of the existing highway passes either through Kaziranga National Park or along its southern boundary, with a restricted right of way (ROW) of 16 to 32 metres further aggravated by substantially poor geometrics,” the Cabinet said in a statement.
During the monsoons, flooding inside the park forces wildlife to move towards the elevated Karbi-Anglong Hills by crossing the existing highway. Heavy, round-the-clock traffic leads to frequent accidents and deaths of wild animals.
“The existing Kalibor–Numaligarh section of NH-715 (old NH-37) is a two-lane road, with or without paved shoulders, passing through densely built-up areas of Jakhlabandha (Nagaon) and Bokakhat (Golaghat) towns,” the statement noted.
The Cabinet’s clearance includes the construction of a 34.5-kilometre elevated corridor covering the entire cross-movement of wildlife from Kaziranga National Park to the Karbi-Anglong Hills, ensuring free and uninterrupted passage for animals.
This will be supplemented with the upgradation of 30 kilometres of existing roads and the construction of 21 kilometres of greenfield bypasses around Jakhlabandha and Bokakhat.
“This will decongest the existing corridor, improve safety, and enhance direct connectivity between Guwahati (the state capital), Kaziranga National Park (a tourism destination) and Numaligarh (an industrial town),” the Cabinet added.