Kaziranga elevated corridor likely to get Centre's nod soon

Guwahati, Nov 1 (IANS) The 32-km long elevated corridor at Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve (KNPTR) may soon get the approval from the Centre, officials said here on Wednesday.

While attending an event to launch several highway projects in Assam on Tuesday, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma requested Union Minister Nitin Gadkari to give nod to this project.

Sarma said, “I urge Gadkari ji to construct a 32-km long elevated corridor at Kaziranga aimed at reducing the number of fatalities among wild animals.”

Later, the Union Minister said the elevated corridor would become a reality soon and a detailed project report would be prepared for the same.

To avoid the high number of fatal incidents of animals in the Kaziranga National Park, the Assam government had earlier proposed to build a 32-km elevated road over nine animal corridors of the park.

The four-lane project, which will cost Rs 6,000 crore, will follow an existing arterial roadway. 

According to a report of Wildlife Institute of India (WII), at least 1,176 animals were killed on the highway due to the absence of a dedicated animal corridor. A separate study conducted by the Gauhati University said that 6,000 fatal animal incidents happened at this stretch.

During monsoon floods, which is an annual occurrence at the Kaziranga National Park, animals often flee to Karbi Anglong hills, at the south of the park crossing the national highway. At that time, many animals get rammed by speeding vehicles.