- Why in news
- On 13 March 2026, NHAI said its Kaliabor–Numaligarh tender on NH-715 in Assam drew 18 bids. The project includes a 34.5 km elevated wildlife corridor through Kaziranga.
- Wildlife link
- The corridor is aligned to help animals move from Kaziranga National Park to the Karbi Anglong hills.
- Approvals and bodies
- NHAI consulted WII, NTCA and the Assam Forest Department, and has approval from the National Board for Wildlife.
- Cost and bids
- The project received 18 bids, with a capital cost of Rs 6,956 crore, and is to be awarded this financial year.
Don’t confuse with NBWL vs NTCA: NBWL is the statutory board under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 that clears projects affecting protected areas. NTCA is the statutory body for tiger conservation.
Places in the news: 26 Prelims questions since 2013, rising (12% of news questions in 2022–26); they test location and why it matters.
Why it matters
- Shows a way to combine road widening with wildlife passage in a sensitive protected area.
- Improves connectivity and tourism in Assam.
Problems
- Construction disturbance and noise near a sensitive habitat.
- Animals may not use the structure; floods and traffic add risk.
Way forward
- Monitor wildlife use of the corridor and publish the findings.
- Enforce speed and noise limits and keep construction away from the animals' peak movement season.
- 2021Mains GS4 · Q9Ethics of managing an elevated corridor project under deadline pressure
- 2025Mains GS4 · Q8Clearing forest land in ecologically sensitive zone for housing
- 2025Mains GS4 · Q2Ethics of clearing development projects in ecologically sensitive border areas
UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.
No practice question for this one; the card may still help an answer. Why: Highway with a wildlife corridor through Kaziranga is a lasting topic; no strong provisions for a question yet.
Worth revising until Prelims 2027: most news questions come within two years of the event.