Upgrading Kaliabor-Numaligarh stretch of NH-715 : NHAI invites bids

NHAI invites bids for widening Kaliabor-Numaligarh NH-37 (New NH-715) to four lanes, post CCEA approval, with 3-year completion target.Staff Reporter

Guwahati: Following the approval given by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) of the Government of India for the widening and improvement of the Kaliabor-Numaligarh section of the NH-37 (New NH-715) to four lanes, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has now issued a notice inviting bids for construction of the project with a completion target of 3 years.

According to NHAI, the project includes widening to 4 lanes of the existing carriageway of the Kaliabor-Numaligarh section of NH-37 (New NH-715), including the implementation of wildlife-friendly measures proposed on the Kaziranga National Park (KNP) stretch of the NH in Assam on EPC Mode under NH(0).

The total capital cost of the project is Rs 6,957 crore, of which the estimated cost of the civil works is Rs 4,829.14 crore.  The total length of the proposed project is 85.675 km. The last date for submission of financial and technical bids is on or before December 3, 2025, and the bids will be opened the next day. A maintenance period of 10 years is mandatory for the firm that is awarded the project.

The project road is a mix of greenfield new alignment/bypasses, elevated corridors, and widening of the existing road. The development of the project shall include the design and construction of the 4-lane divided carriageway with paved shoulder.

Of the project's total length of 85.675 km, a stretch of 34.45 km will be an elevated corridor passing through Kaziranga National Park. Two greenfield bypasses will be constructed at Puducherry Bypass with a length of 11.5 km and Bokakhat Bypass with a length of 9.5 km.

The existing Kalibor-Numaligarh section of NH-715 (old NH-37) has a configuration of 2 lanes with/without paved shoulders, passing through densely built-up areas of Jakhlabandha in the Nagaon district and Bokakhat in the Golaghat district. A major part of the existing highway passes either through the Kaziranga National Park or along the southern boundary of the park, having a restricted right of way (ROW) of 16 to 32 metres further aggravated by substantially poor geometrics. During the monsoons, the area inside the park gets flooded, leading to the movement of the wildlife from the park towards the elevated Karbi-Anglong Hills by crossing the existing highway. The heavy round-the-clock traffic on the highway results in frequent accidents and deaths of wild animals.

To address these challenges, the project will involve the construction of an elevated corridor of about 34.45 km, covering the entire cross movement of wildlife from Kaziranga National Park to Karbi-Anglong Hills for free and uninterrupted passage of wildlife, along with the upgrading of 30.22 km of existing road and the construction of 21 km of greenfield bypasses around Jakhalabandha and Bokakhat. This will decongest the existing corridor, improve safety, and enhance the direct connectivity between Guwahati, Kaziranga National Park, and Numaligarh.

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