Guwahati, March 13 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 within the Kaziranga National Park, according to an official release.
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is developing this stretch on National Highway-715 under the Engineering Procurement and Construction (EPC) mode, it added.
"The NHAI received an overwhelming response from bidders for the construction of the over 85-km-long section of NH-715 passing through Kaziranga National Park and the Tiger Reserve. In response to the bids called by the NHAI from 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 to allow for the 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 facilitate the movement of wildlife from Kaziranga National Park to the Karbi Anglong hills and will be constructed as part of the upgrading of NH-715 from a two-lane to a four-lane configuration," it said.
The release further stated that the 85.6-km-long project also includes the development of two greenfield bypasses with a combined length of 21 km at Jakhalabandha (Nagaon) and Bokakhat (Golaghat) town areas.
It will also include 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 according to wildlife requirements, the NHAI has consulted the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), the Forest Department of Assam, and has received approvals from the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL)," the release said.
The elevated design is planned to minimize 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 the Karbi Anglong district across the NH-715, mostly during the monsoon when the forest is inundated by water from the Brahmaputra river.
The project has been in the news for several years now. Numerous animals are killed every year by speeding vehicles when they try to cross the highway.