Guwahati, Mar 13 (PTI) The NHAI has received 18 bids for upgrading the 85.6-km long highway stretch from Kaliabar to Numaligarh, including the construction of the 34.5-km elevated corridor in Kaziranga National Park, according to an official release.
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is developing the stretch on National Highway-715 on Engineering Procurement and Construction (EPC) Mode, it added.
“NHAI received an overwhelming response from the bidders for the construction of the over 85-km-long Kaliabor to Numaligarh section of NH-715 passing through Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve. In response to the bids called by NHAI from the highway developers, the project has received 18 bids,” the statement said.
The contract is scheduled to be awarded in the current financial year at a total capital cost of Rs 6,956 crore, it added.
The project includes the construction of a 34.5-km-long Kaziranga Elevated Corridor for free and uninterrupted passage of wildlife.
“The elevated corridor will be implemented in three sections of 18.3 km, 11.2 km and 5 km, respectively. The corridor’s alignment is designed to cover the movement of wildlife from Kaziranga National Park to Karbi Anglong hills and will be constructed as part of the upgradation of NH-715 from a two-lane to a four-lane configuration,” it said.
The release further said the 85.6-km-long project includes development of two greenfield bypasses with a combined length of 21 km at Jakhalabandha (Nagaon) and Bokakhat (Golaghat) town areas.
It will also have a major bridge, 20 minor bridges, seven flyovers, 84 culverts, one railway overbridge, five vehicular underpasses (VUP), 12 LVUP and 16-km-long service roads.
“To align the project as per wildlife requirements, NHAI has consulted the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), Forest Department, government of Assam and has received approvals from the National Board of Wildlife (NBWL),” the release said.
The elevated design has been planned to minimise disturbance to natural habitats while ensuring smoother and safer vehicular movement along this critical route, it added.
“Upon completion, the Kaliabar-Numaligarh section of NH-715 will play a pivotal role in regional economic growth, strengthening connectivity between major tourism, industrial and economic centers, boosting tourism to Kaziranga National Park, and opening new avenues for trade and industrial development in Assam,” it said.
On January 18, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for the Kaziranga Elevated Corridor.
In November 2022, Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari had approved a four-lane 38-km-long elevated corridor on NH-715 in Kaziranga National Park for Rs 6,000 crore.
The proposed elevated road with tunnels at some places is considered important to ensure safe passage to wild animals crossing from Kaziranga National Park to Karbi Anglong district across the NH-715, mostly during monsoon when the forest is inundated by Brahmaputra water.
The project has been in the news for several years now. Scores of animals are killed every year by speeding vehicles when they try to cross the highway. PTI TR TR MNB
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