The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to expedite the completion of the proposed elevated corridor spanning approximately 34 km in Kaziranga National Park. The court emphasized that all stakeholders must provide full support to ensure the project’s timely completion as a wildlife-friendly initiative.
Kaziranga Animal Corridor (Key Highlights):
- Supreme Court Committee Recommendation:
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- Identified 9 animal corridors in Kaziranga National Park (KNP):
- Nagaon District: Amguri, Bagori, Chirang, Deosur, Harmati, Hatidandi, Kanchanjuri.
- Golaghat District: Haldibari, Panbari.
- Corridor Classification:
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- Structural Corridors: Free of human-induced disturbances (except forestry and wildlife management).
- Functional Corridors: Multi-use with regulated land-use changes, activated when structural corridors are disturbed.
- Significance:
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- Critical for animals like rhinos, elephants, tigers, and deer to escape flooding during monsoons and migrate to Karbi Anglong hills.
- Facilitate their return to grasslands post-monsoon, ensuring safe movement and habitat connectivity.
Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve
- Location and Area
- Located in the state of Assam, covering 42,996 hectares.
- Represents the largest undisturbed floodplain in the Brahmaputra Valley.
- Key Designations
- Declared a National Park in 1974.
- Became a Tiger Reserve in 2007
- Recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985.
- Designated as an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International.
- Biodiversity Highlights
- Home to the world’s largest population of one-horned rhinoceroses.
- The Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary near Kaziranga has the highest density of one-horned rhinos globally and ranks second in rhino population in Assam, after Kaziranga.
- The park hosts diverse species, including tigers, elephants, and over 250 species of birds.
- Hydrology and Geography
- Contains 250+ seasonal water bodies and the Diphlu River, which flows through the park.
- The National Highway 37 (NH-37) runs along the park’s boundary, skirting its southern edge.
