• NET Web Desk

The Assam Government is awaiting Central Government’s nod from the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH) for a 35-km long elevated road project, passing through the Kaziranga National Park.

This 35-kms long elevated stretch will run over nine animal corridors and an existing national highway, aiming to ensure the safety of animals especially during heavy floods. “We submitted a report on the road alignment to the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways last week. We are hoping to get the clearance in the next 10-15 days,” – asserted a senior official in an interview with The Hindu.

Earlier, the state government had submitted an alignment report for the construction of a two-lane stretch but the concerned ministry instead suggested for a 4-lane project due to the increase in road traffic and keeping in mind about the future impacts.

Recently the Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma mentioned that the Centre had virtually given a clearance to the 35-kms stretch worth of Rs 6000 Crores.

Once the state government attains clearance on the same, it will have to prepare a Detailed Project Report (DPR), and submit it to the ministry. Subsequently, the government will be required to obtain clearance from the statutory bodies including the National Board for Wildlife.

According to reports, the project entails two tunnels – with an estimated length of 1.5 to 1.6 km and 500 to 600 metres.

“The alignment was fixed in coordination with the Wildlife Institute of India. Apart from the engineering aspect, the designing was done to ensure minimum harm to the wildlife and human settlements along the highway,” – asserted an official.

Meanwhile, the Kaziranga National Park field director P Sivakumar said he had insisted on the removal of structures and human settlements from the nine corridors. “The project will not benefit Kaziranga if the settlements and encroachment are not cleared. The areas have to be converted into parts of Kaziranga. People settled on or near the corridors have to be compensated and relocated,” – asserted Sivakumar.

He added that the existing road should act as a highland during monsoon floods.