The Cabinet approved the widening and rehabilitation of the 86 km Kalibor-Numaligarh portion of NH-715 in Assam on Wednesday, including three elevated sections of 34.5 km across the national park, with the goal of removing conflict between individuals, vehicles, and animals in Kaziranga National Park (KNP).
The government would provide all funding for the Rs 6,957 crore project.The current two lane roadway that runs through the KNP will be abandoned once the elevated portion is constructed.
Since the current road is a part of the national park, animals will be able to travel about freely.
I&B minister Ashwini Vaishnaw informed reporters of the Cabinet's decision, stating that the project will improve safety, decongest the current corridor, and make the necessary arrangements after consulting with organizations like the Wildlife Institute of India and the National Tiger Conservation Authority to ensure no harm is done to the animals.
"The Cabinet decision on widening and upgrading the Kalibor–Numaligarh section of NH-715, including an elevated corridor with wildlife-friendly measures in the Kaziranga stretch, will boost development as well as ensure animal safety," PM Modi wrote in a post on X, calling it a historic decision for Assam and the northeast.
Kaziranga tourism will be greatly increased. According to sources, the proposal to create an elevated length and widen the road has been in the works since 2016, but it really took off after NHAI took up the stretch in 2023.
According to the government, a significant portion of the current roadway only has 16 to 32 meters of right of way and either goes into the national park or along its southern edge.
The park's interior floods during the monsoon season, forcing animals to cross the existing highway and migrate from the park to the higher Karbi-Anglong Hills.
It also noted that frequent accidents and the deaths of wild animals are caused by the highway's heavy, 24/7 traffic.
