Kaziranga block NHAI plan to Upper Assam

Guwahati, Oct 5: The presence of Kaziranga National Park is likely to indefinitely delay the Highway expansion project of the NHAI to Upper Asom.

"We are not expecting early clearance from the Environment Ministry as the Kaziranga is the jewel of the crown of Indian forest," said Secretary of Shipping and Road Transport Vijay Singh.

The political establishments and policy makers were re-trying hard to get Nagaon-Tinsukia stretch to cover the East-West Corridor four laning of project. The East-West corridor takes a sharp turn towards the south of Asom from Nagaon going to Barak valley through N C Hills.

The NHAI was forced to have an alternative plan to make another 300 kms of road from Nagaon-Tinsukia, the most used stretch of road of the region. But Mr Singh dashed the hope of early implementation.

"It will be very difficult to get clearance from the Environment ministry. Already in Barail range we had to change the alignment of the road to protect the Barail forest," said Mr Singh.

In comparison to Baril range, Kaziranga is too great and precocious and there is no viable alternative road as the National Highway 37 bisects the Kaziranga with Karbi Anglong hills on side and Park on the other hand.

"We are preparing a detailed project report," said Mr Singh.

About 40 kms of road is going through Kaziranga National park.

Expansion of highway work with heavy machinery will surely have drastic impact on the animals because of pollution both noise and chemical.

The Ministry of Environment is closely scrutinising the plan. The options are also limited as the presence of Karbi Anglong hills do not allow an easy access out of the area. Meanwhile, National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) is investing a whopping Rs 19235 crore to improve the National Highways of the North Eastern region in the next 42 months.

''This is by far the biggest infrastructure development project this region has ever witnessed,'' said Mr Vijay Singh.

''Besides the four laning of the Silchar-Srirampur stretch, which is known to everybody, we are also revamping literally the entire highway network of the region, converting a single lane to two lane,'' Mr Singh told UNI.

In fact, the East West Corridor is only the one part of whole investment of the NHAI.

The second one is the National Highway Development Project (NHDP) on Built Own Transfer (BOT) basis. 1246 kilometers of State Highways are being strengthened in various parts of the North East at a cost of Rs 9000 crores.

''We are also joining hands with the State PWDs in the Special Accelerated Road Development Programme for North East through which another 733 kms of Highways are re-strengthened at a cost of Rs 4765 crore,'' he said.

According to him, in most of the stretches, not only the contracts have been awarded, but in fact the construction companies have started mobilising their equipment.

''In two months' time you will see a boom in the road construction of the North East. Wherever you drive, you will see work. Since these are highly rated construction companies of the country and have super specialised mechanical support, the work will be conducted in less time,'' he said.

He said that East West corridor, with four laning of express highway from Srirampur to Silchar through Lumding-Badarpur section should be completed by end of 2008.

Top names of Indian construction industry like Punj Lloyd, Gammon, Gaytri, Nagarjuna and many others have come to Asom.

"We are also joining hands with the State PWDs in the Special Accelerated Road Development Programme for North East through which another 733 kms of Highways are re-strengthened at a cost of Rs 4765 crore," he said. According to him, in most of the stretches, not only the contracts have been awarded, but in fact the construction companies have started mobilising their equipment.

"In two months' time you will see a boom in the road construction of the North East. Wherever you drive, you will see work. Since these are highly rated construction companies of the country and has super specialised mechanical support, the work will be conducted in less time," he said.

He said that East West corridor, with four laning of express highway from Srirampur to Silchar through Lumding-Badarpur section should be completed by end of 2008.

"Although till now, not much visible progress have been achieved, because of land acquisition hurdles, but I think we are not behind schedule and once we get long stretches of free land, its not difficult to complete roads with so much of new machinery and technology available," he said.

All the top names of Indian construction industry have come to Asom starting from Punj Lloyd, Gammon, Gaytri, Nagarjuna and many others.

In the East West corridor there are 28 number of packages of average 24 kms each and of them contract for 27 packages have been awarded. One was not awarded as the road alignment had to be changed to protect the Barail Reserve Forest.

"The Detailed Project Report (DPR) is being prepared and hopefully by January 2007 the tender will be floated," said Mr Singh, who reviewed the progress and problem with his officers before meeting the Chie Secretary S K Kabilan and Additional chief Secretary C K Das, who is the nodal officer from the Asom Government for this mammoth project.

Uni