Hiranya Barman
Distressed animals of Kaziranga National Park will be having much needed relief with the temporary closure of NH-37 between Kohra to Bagori prohibiting movement of all kinds of vehicles due to flooding of the stretch.
“Whenever the park is inundated animals seek shelter on the highway near Kaziranga and on the highlands inside the park. Speeding vehicles usually hit animals trying to cross the highway. Altogether 12 Hog deer have been hit by speeding vehicles to death till Tuesday. There are 144 highlands inside KNP,” KNP Director P Sivakumar said adding that animals like rhino, tiger, buffalo and deer take shelter on the highway whenever the park is flooded.
The Sub-Divisional Administration of Bokakhat Sub-Division on Monday prohibited the movement of all kinds of vehicles on the stretch cutting direct road connectivity to Upper Assam from Guwahati and vice versa. However, the administration has chalked out alternative routes to and from Upper Assam.
Vehicles plying from Guwahati/Nagaon side towards Bokakhat/Golaghat etc. and other Upper Assam districts need to be diverted through Borghat (Nagaon-Dhing Chariali) via Hojai towards Golaghat/Upper Assam, an order stated.
The order further stated that alternatively vehicles may also take diversion from Kaliabor Tiniali to Dibrugarh/Tinsukia etc. Upper Assam districts via Tezpur/North Bank Districts.