Gadkari reviews Kaziranga elevated road project, proposes kiosks

Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, recently conducted a review of the progress of the Kaziranga elevated road project. The project aims to construct a 34-kilometer elevated road at locations frequently used by animals for crossing, as identified by the Wildlife Institute of India. Gadkari shared project details on Twitter. The minister highlighted that the project will also involve widening the existing at-grade road to a four-lane highway, spanning approximately 50 kilometers. Additionally, the construction of tunnels, stretching for about 3 kilometers, is planned. Gadkari proposed the inclusion of viewing platforms along the elevated road, equipped with kiosks and parking facilities, to enhance wildlife tourism. This initiative aims to boost the experience of wildlife watching in the region. Furthermore, Gadkari emphasized the consideration of the tunnel construction as a separate project, with the possibility of utilizing waste material from the tunnels in road construction. In a related development, Gadkari recently chaired a meeting with state and union territory transport ministers to promote cost optimization efforts in road and highway projects. The government plans to incorporate sustainable materials in these projects to reduce overall costs. Meanwhile, Niti Aayog, the policy think tank of the Indian government, has decided to conduct an institutional assessment of the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI). NHAI's debt has surpassed Rs 3 lakh crore, and it relies on increased budget allocations from the government. The Development Monitoring and Evaluation Office (DMEO) has issued a tender to hire a technical consultant responsible for evaluating NHAI's road projects. NHAI's primary responsibilities include the construction, maintenance, and provision of suggestions to the government regarding national highways across the country.