Kaziranga corridor to ensure safe wildlife movement in national park, boost tourism

The Rs 6,957-crore project will also reduce accidents on National Highway-37, officials said.

Guwahati: The Kaziranga elevated corridor project, the foundation of which will be laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday, is aimed at ensuring safe wildlife movement in the national park and boosting ecotourism, officials said.

The Rs 6,957-crore project will also reduce accidents on National Highway-37, they said.

The project includes the four-laning of the Kaliabor-Numaligarh section of NH-37 (New NH-715) and approximately 34.45 km of elevated corridor, along with bypasses at Jakhalabandha and Bokakhat, one of the officials said.

The project has been designed in compliance with the directions of the Supreme Court and the recommendations of the Wildlife Institute of India, he said.

The objectives of the project are to improve connectivity between Central and Upper Assam and ensure the protection of the rich biodiversity of the Kaziranga National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, another official said.

The flagship infrastructure project will be implemented by NHIDCL under the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, and the construction will be completed in 36 months, he said.

The Centre's Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs had approved the widening of the 86.675-km stretch of the highway to four lanes and the construction of a 34.5-km elevated corridor with the area underneath for the crossing of animals from the national park to the Karbi Anglong Hills, particularly during the flood season.

''Looking forward to being in Kaliabor, Assam today for the Bhoomi Poojan of key development works, including the 35 km elevated corridor across Kaziranga. This will go a long way in safeguarding animals, particularly in the monsoon season'', the PM posted on 'X'.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, replying to Modi's post, said the elevated corridor across Kaziranga is a landmark step towards protecting wildlife, while strengthening connectivity.

Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve is famed for its biodiversity, having the world's largest population of one-horned rhinoceroses, along with significant numbers of tigers, elephants, wild water buffalo, and swamp deer, amidst Brahmaputra River floodplains with extensive grasslands, forests, and wetlands.