Kaziranga Elevated Corridor Project
Why in news?
Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for the Kaziranga Elevated Corridor Project on January 17, 2026. This Rs 6,950-crore initiative involves 4-laning a highway section to reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions, enhancing safety for animals crossing between park areas.​
About Kaziranga
Kaziranga National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Assam, India, world-famous for its population of the one-horned rhinoceros. It is also home to tigers, elephants, swamp deer, and hundreds of bird species, making it one of India’s richest biodiversity hotspots.
Environmental Significance
The corridor covers all nine animal pathways in the park, reducing human-wildlife conflicts from 5,000-6,000 daily vehicles on the existing two-lane road. Cleared by the Wildlife Institute of India two decades ago, it employs new technology for minimal disruption during construction.​
Strategic Benefits
It enhances connectivity between Guwahati, Kaziranga (tourism hub), and Numaligarh (industrial site), cutting travel time by nearly an hour while boosting freight, eco-tourism, and local economies. Road safety improves by addressing accident-prone stretches.
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Key Facts about Kaziranga
- Location: Spans across Golaghat, Nagaon, Sonitpur, and Biswanath districts in Assam.
- Area: Covers about 1,090 km².
- Established: Declared a reserve forest in 1905, upgraded to a national park in 1974.
- UNESCO Status: Recognized as a World Heritage Site in 1985 for its unique natural environment.
- Wildlife: Hosts the largest population of Indian one-horned rhinoceroses in the world, along with Bengal tigers, elephants, panthers, bears, swamp deer, and water buffalo.
Importance
- Biodiversity hotspot: One of the last undisturbed areas in eastern India, with vast grasslands, marshes, and forests.
- Tiger Reserve: Declared a Tiger Reserve in 2006, it has one of the highest densities of tigers among protected areas in the world.
- Bird Paradise: Over 450 bird species including migratory birds from Central Asia and beyond.
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