Kaliabor-Numaligarh National Highway: Centre directs NHAI to explore alternative alignments

Guwahati, Feb. 11: The four-laning of the National Highway stretch from Kaliabor to Numaligarh which is part of the ambitious Kaziranga elevated corridor project seems to have run into rough weather over alignment issues.

Amidst allegations and protests over the proposal to build greenfield roads by-passing Jakhalabandha and Bokakhat, the Centre has asked the NHAI to explore alternative alignments for the project.

A presentation of the Kaziranga corridor project was made by NHAI before the Union Road Transport Secretary recently and he suggested that alternative alignment options should be explored.

The alignment proposed by NHAI has been "returned unapproved for resubmission of the modified proposal with alternative alignment."

The NHAI had come up with the proposal for greenfield roads on the eastern side of the existing highway despite opposition from the public.

Two PILs were filed in the Gauhati High Court challenging the proposed new alignment of the NH 37 four-laning between Kaliabor to Numaligarh. According to the petitioners, a vested section of influential persons possessing agricultural lands in the area had used external pressures on the consultants to divert the road through a new alignment which will go through a vast agricultural land and elephant corridor. The alignment was proposed to pass through Darigaji and Kanchanjuri.

Two public meetings were held on the proposed alignment, which was to bypass Jakhalabandha, but locals had opposed the alignment in both sittings, citing negative impacts on the economy of the township.

The NHAI had been insisting that the new alignment on the right-hand side of Jakhalabandha town is the "most preferred option" as demolition of structures, houses, hotels, etc., and trees will be less. If the alignment passes through Jakhalabandha town, then there will be road safety issues, according to NHAI.

The NHAI had proposed two bypasses -one for Jakhalabandha (9.5 km) and the other for Bokakhat (11.5 km).

The Forest Department had in 2015 opposed alternative roads on the south as "it could create an additional barrier (for animal movement) and also fragment the habitat." But despite that, NHAI has been pushing the alternative alignments.

"The proposed alignment may slightly differ from the existing alignment while considering improvement of the stretch. Hence, the route of the NH may also differ," the NHAI had said in an affidavit in the Gauhati High Court last week.

The alignment for the 34.45 km elevated corridor portion, which comprises three fly-overs on the existing highway, however, is likely to remain the same as it has been decided based on recommendations of several expert committees and has got clearances from statutory boards.

The entire four-lane configuration of the 85 km stretch costing around Rs 5,000 crore - needs to be approved by the Public Private Partnership Appraisal Committee (PPPAC) after which it will go to the Cabinet Committee of Economic Affairs.

- By Rituraj Borthakur