Elevated Corridor in Kaziranga to Ensure Safe Wildlife Passage

The Indian government has approved a 34.45 km elevated corridor that will ensure a free, safe and uninterrupted passage for wildlife between Kaziranga and Karbi Anglong Hills.

The project will be implemented in an Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) mode, with a total length of 85.675 km and a capital cost of ₹6,957 crore. This will include widening and improving the existing highway to 4 lanes on the Kaliabor–Numaligarh section of NH-715, including wildlife-friendly measures along the Kaziranga National Park stretch in Assam.

Kaziranga is famous for its wildlife, particularly as the home of the world’s largest population of the endangered Great Indian one-horned rhinoceros. The Kaziranga National Park, one of India’s natural UNESCO World Heritage Sites, is also renowned for its tigers, Asian elephants, wild water buffalo, swamp deer, and rich birdlife.

The elevated corridor in Kaziranga, apart from protecting Rhinos and wildlife, will drastically reduce travel time, boost eco-tourism, ease travel for pilgrims and visitors, and open up new opportunities for trade and industry.

Eco-tourism activities, such as jeep safaris, elephant safaris, bird-watching, and visits to tea gardens, waterfalls, and orchid parks, make Kaziranga a top destination for wildlife enthusiasts and nature lovers.

The existing Kalibor–Numaligarh section of NH-715 (old NH-37) currently has a 2-lane configuration with limited shoulders, passing through densely built-up areas of Jakhlabandha (Nagaon) and Bokakhat (Golaghat).

A significant portion of this highway runs through or along the southern boundary of Kaziranga National Park, with a narrow right-of-way and challenging geometry.

Seasonal flooding drives wildlife to move towards Karbi Anglong Hills by crossing the busy highway, often resulting in accidents and wildlife casualties.

To address these concerns, the project will construct a 34.5 km elevated corridor, upgrade 30.22 km of existing road, and build 21 km of greenfield bypasses. This will decongest the highway, enhance road safety, and provide seamless connectivity to key nodes in Assam.

The alignment will integrate with two major National Highways (NH-127, NH-129) and one State Highway (SH-35), while also connecting with three railway stations (Nagaon, Jakhalabandha, Vishwanath Chariali) and three airports (Tezpur, Lilabari, Jorhat). This connectivity will boost logistics, trade, and mobility across Assam.

The upgraded corridor will also improve access to socio-economic hubs, religious places, and tourist destinations, thereby strengthening regional growth.

The project is expected to generate 15.42 lakh person-days of direct employment and 19.19 lakh person-days of indirect jobs, further contributing to Assam’s economic progress.

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