The Union Cabinet has approved the four-laning of the Kaliabor–Numaligarh section of National Highway 715 in Assam, a key infrastructure project designed to prevent man-animal conflicts and enhance road safety through the Kaziranga National Park.

Announcing the decision, Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the project spans 86 kilometres and involves a 34-kilometre elevated viaduct to ensure safe passage for wildlife. “The fifth major decision of the Cabinet today is the four-laning of the Kaliabor–Numaligarh section of NH-715 (86 km, Rs 69.6 billion). It includes a 34 km elevated viaduct passing through Kaziranga National Park,” Vaishnaw said.

He explained that during the monsoon season, wild animals including rhinoceroses move towards higher ground and often cross the existing road, leading to fatal accidents. The elevated highway, therefore, aims to mitigate animal fatalities while improving connectivity.

According to an official statement, the project will upgrade the existing two-lane road to a four-lane highway, spanning 85.67 kilometres across Nagaon, Karbi Anglong, and Golaghat districts. It will feature wildlife crossings, underpasses, and eco-sensitive design elements to ensure biodiversity protection in and around Kaziranga.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Union Cabinet for approving the project. “My gratitude to Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Union Cabinet for approving the Rs 69.6 billion widening of the Kaliabor–Numaligarh section of NH-715. The 34 km elevated corridor will ease traffic and safeguard our wildlife. This project represents a new model for human-animal coexistence,” Sarma stated.

In a related development, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated India’s first second-generation bioethanol plant at the Numaligarh Refinery in Assam on 14 September. Built at a cost of Rs 50 billion, the bamboo-based refinery is the first of its kind globally.

The Prime Minister had laid the foundation stone of the refinery on 9 February 2019. The project holds special significance for Assam and the North East, where bamboo grows abundantly. India’s ethanol blending rate has risen from 1.53 per cent in 2014 to 10 per cent by 2022, ahead of schedule, and the 20 per cent blending target (E20) originally set for 2030 was advanced to 2025, already achieved in the current ethanol supply year.