The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the widening and upgradation of the Kaliabor–Numaligarh section of NH-715 in Assam, including wildlife-friendly measures on the stretch passing through Kaziranga National Park. The 85.7 km project will be executed in EPC mode at an estimated cost of Rs 69.6 billion.
The existing two-lane highway, which runs through Jakhalabandha (Nagaon) and Bokakhat (Golaghat), passes along the boundary of Kaziranga. Seasonal flooding often forces animals to cross the busy road towards the Karbi Anglong Hills, leading to frequent wildlife fatalities due to heavy traffic.
To address this, the project will construct a 34.5 km elevated corridor to provide free and uninterrupted passage for wildlife, upgrade 30.2 km of the existing road and build 21 km of greenfield bypasses. This will decongest traffic, improve road safety and strengthen connectivity between Guwahati, Kaziranga and Numaligarh.
The alignment will connect with NH-127, NH-129 and SH-35, while integrating three railway stations (Nagaon, Jakhalabandha, Vishwanath Chariali) and three airports (Tezpur, Lilabari, Jorhat). It will also improve access to two socio-economic hubs and eight religious and tourist sites, boosting trade, logistics and tourism across the region.
The project is expected to generate 15.4 million person-days of direct employment and 19.2 million person-days of indirect jobs, spurring growth, trade and industrial development in Assam.
