News Brief
Government Clears Rs 6,957 Crore NH-715 Expansion In Assam With Elevated Corridor Through Kaziranga
Map of the approved corridor
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has given its nod to the widening of the Kalibor–Numaligarh stretch of National Highway-715 in Assam into a four-lane corridor.
The scheme, which carries an estimated capital cost of Rs 6,957 crore, will be executed under the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) model.
The 85.7 km section of the highway currently functions as a two-lane road, threading through Jakhlabandha in Nagaon and Bokakhat in Golaghat, with long stretches running either inside Kaziranga National Park or along its southern boundary.
This route has long posed challenges for both commuters and wildlife. Seasonal flooding forces animals to cross the highway while migrating towards the Karbi Anglong Hills, often resulting in fatal accidents due to heavy traffic.
To address this, the plan includes a 34.5 km elevated corridor across the Kaziranga stretch.
In addition, the project will upgrade 30.22 km of existing road and create two greenfield bypasses — a 11.5 km bypass near Jakhlabandha and a 9.5 km bypass around Bokakhat.
The alignment is designed to link with NH-127, NH-129 and SH-35, while also integrating with three railway stations (Nagaon, Jakhlabandha, Vishwanath Chariali) and three airports (Tezpur, Lilabari, Jorhat).
It will additionally enhance access to tourist attractions such as the Deopahar Archaeological Site and Kakochang Waterfall, as well as prominent temples in Nagaon and Numaligarh.
The project is expected to generate about 15.42 lakh direct and 19.19 lakh indirect man-days of employment.
