Union minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari recently examined the ongoing development status of Kaziranga elevated road project, a PTI report said.
The project includes construction of an elevated road of 34 kilometres at sites where animal crossing usually occurs. The sites are located by the Wildlife Institute of India. The details regarding the project were shared by the minister on Twitter.
The minister said that the project will also widen the at-grade to a four lane highway, which will be in total of around 50 kilometres in length. Tunnels will also be built which are slated to expand at a stretch of 3 kilometers.
Gadkari has also advised to set up viewing platforms on the elevated road, which can also have proper facilities of Kiosks and parking slots for vehicles. As a result, it will boost wildlife watching tourism too, as per PTI report.
A clear mandate has also be given to consider the construction of the tunnels as a different project and the waste matter collected from the same can be used in the making of roads.
In a related development, to promote cost optimization efforts, Gadkari recently chaired a meeting with the transport ministers of states and Union Territories and promoted the idea of using sustainable materials in construction of road and highway projects. By using this concept, the Narendra Modi government is planning to reduce the overall cost of the project.
Meanwhile, Niti Aayog has decided to conduct an institutional assessment of National Highway Authority of India (NHAI). The debt of the highway construction body has exceeded Rs 3 lakh crore and is dependent on the government’s budget being increased.
Development Monitoring and Evaluation Office (DMEO) has announced a tender for recruiting a technical consultant who will be responsible for conducting evaluation of the road projects taken up by the NHAI.
The core functions of NHAI is to construct and maintain national highways across the country and simultaneously give suggestions to the government related to highways.