The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the widening of the Kalibor–Numaligarh section of National Highway-715 in Assam. The plan includes building a 34.5-kilometre elevated corridor inside Kaziranga National Park to reduce conflict between vehicles and wildlife.
The project will cover 86 kilometres and cost Rs 6,957 crore. It will be developed in Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) mode. The government said the entire cost will be funded from the central budget.
Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the decision was taken to improve road safety and protect wildlife. “This project will decongest the existing corridor and make travel safer. At the same time, it ensures unhindered movement of animals through Kaziranga. Provisions have been made in consultation with the National Tiger Conservation Authority and the Wildlife Institute of India,” he told reporters.
The existing road is a two-lane highway that runs through or along the southern boundary of Kaziranga. It has a narrow right of way of only 16 to 32 metres. During monsoon months, large areas inside the park flood. This forces animals, including rhinos, elephants, and deer, to cross the highway while moving to the Karbi-Anglong Hills.
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways said the heavy flow of traffic on the stretch has led to frequent accidents. “The round-the-clock movement of vehicles results in deaths of wild animals almost every year,” the ministry said in a statement.
Under the new plan, the elevated corridor will provide safe passage to wildlife across the entire stretch of the park. In addition, 30 kilometres of the existing road will be upgraded, and 21 kilometres of greenfield bypasses will be built around Jakhlabandha in Nagaon district and Bokakhat in Golaghat district.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the decision “historic” for Assam and the northeast. In a post on X, he said, “The Cabinet decision on widening and upgradation of the Kalibor–Numaligarh section, including an elevated corridor with wildlife-friendly measures in the Kaziranga stretch, will boost development as well as ensure animal safety. Tourism to Kaziranga will receive a big boost.”
Officials said the plan to widen the highway has been under discussion since 2016. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) took up the project in 2023, which gave fresh momentum to the proposal.
The Cabinet noted that the current alignment passes through thickly built-up areas. The two-lane road runs without paved shoulders in some stretches, which slows traffic and increases risk of accidents. The new design will address these gaps.
The project is expected to take three years to complete. Once the elevated corridor is ready, the existing two-lane highway passing through Kaziranga will be abandoned. That stretch will then be integrated into the national park, giving animals undisturbed space.
Conservation experts have long called for measures to reduce vehicle-animal conflict in the region. Every year, reports of rhinos, swamp deer, and smaller species being hit by speeding vehicles make headlines. The elevated road is expected to cut down such incidents sharply.
The government said the upgraded highway will improve direct connectivity between Guwahati, the state capital, Kaziranga National Park, and the industrial town of Numaligarh. It will also strengthen links with Upper Assam, Nagaland, and Arunachal Pradesh.
By separating wildlife movement from vehicular traffic, the project aims to create a safer passage for animals while supporting tourism and trade in the region.
