The National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) may have approved an elevated road over nine corridors used by the animals of Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve, usually during heavy floods, but the future of the project as of now is uncertain as the project has to undergo many reviews. After constant pressure from the state authorities on the Centre, the latter has agreed to construct the elevated corridor but only after approval from top bodies of the country.
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A source in National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) talking to GPlus said, “The detailed project report of the project is prepared but at present it’s under review by Public Private Partnership Appraisal Committee (PPPAC).” The source said that the PPPAC is a central government body in India that evaluates and approves Central Sector Public Private Partnership (PPP) projects.
The PPPAC is chaired by the Secretary (Economic Affairs) and includes other members such as the Secretary (Planning Commission), Secretary (Expenditure), Secretary (Legal Affairs), and the Secretary of the Department sponsoring the project.
The source said that if the PPPAC approves the project it will be thereafter reviewed by the Cabinet Committee On Economic Affairs (CCEA). This committee is headed by the Prime Minister and other ministers concerned are the members.
After the approval from CCEA all other approvals from the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change will be availed.
It needs to be mentioned that the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) is constructing a 150-kilometre road from Kaliabor to Tezpur, from Tezpur to Gohpur and from Gohpur an underwater tunnel road will connect Numaligarh. If this project is completed many vehicles can directly reach Numaligarh and Upper Assam without crossing the Kaziranga wild life corridors between Jakhalabanda to Bokakhat. Therefore, the Union ministry of road transport and highways (MoRTH) was focusing on the route from Kaliabor to Numaligarh through Gohpur, and elevated corridor project was secondary. But after repeated requests from the state government MoRTH agreed on taking up the elevated project from Kailabor to Numaligarh but after required approvals from all top bodies of the country.
There will be three elevated roads in the corridor if constructed, said the source, between Burapahar to Bokakhat crossing 9 animal corridors. However, the source also mentioned for construction of the elevated corridor, many criteria will have to be maintained, as it is a zone where animals cross every time.
The source said that the target to lay the foundation stone for the elevated corridor project is same as the Guwahati Ring Road in February next year, but it will be only possible if all approvals are required.
The 35-km elevated road project, worth Rs 6,000 crore, along an existing arterial highway skirting the southern boundary of Kaziranga’s core area had been in the offing for years.