NHAI to build four wildlife underpasses on NH-6 for Rs540cr

Nagpur: Finally addressing a decade-old issue, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has floated tenders for wildlife underpasses on NH-6 (NH-53) in the dense forest patches left out between Sakoli and Deori in Bhandara and Gondia districts. The bids will open on January 29.
NHAI regional officer Rajeev Agrawal told TOI that the tenders were floated in December as per recommendations from NTCA & WII, Dehradun and orders by Nagpur Bench of Bombay High Court.
Agrawal said, “There will be three underpasses of 750 metres and one of 700 metres with 5 metre height in four critical patches. Besides, there will be 26 culverts. Construction will be completed in 730 days after issuing work permits. The project will cost Rs540 crore.”
Underpasses will be built at Patch-I between Sirpur-Navatola (700mt), Patch-VI Maramjob-Dongargaon (750mt), Patch-VIII Bamhni-Duggipar (750mt) and Patch-X Sakoli-Mundipar (750mt).
These patches connect seven vital tiger populations of Central Indian Tiger Landscape Complex. This wildlife corridor connects Melghat, Satpura, Pench (MP & Maharashtra), Kanha, Navegaon-Nagzira, Indravati, and Tadoba-Andhari tiger reserves. There have been regular wild animal deaths in these patches.
WII’s initial report submitted in 2012 had recommended 1,500-2,000 metre wildlife underpasses in 10 forest patches but NHAI did not agree due to cost constraints. The number of underpasses was brought down to four under political pressure in 2015.
Later, the high court took up the matter of NH-6 (Mumbai-Kolkata) & NH-7 (Varanasi-Kanyakumari) simultaneously.
The regional empowered committee (REC) approved the proposal in January 2019 and accordingly Stage-I clearance was granted in March 2019. One year was wasted as the user agency made some typographical errors in the proposal as recommended by the WII-NTCA. Over 50.68 hectares of forest land will be diverted for the project.
REC member Suresh Chopne said, “On REC’s order, NHAI and WII officials conducted a joint survey in January 2020. The proposal was submitted before the REC and approved on February 24, 2020. Now, getting Stage-II clearance is just a formality.”
Chopne further said the NHAI proposal has been approved with a suggestion to develop separate nurseries to raise at least 50,000 seedlings of native species. It was suggested that 50% of these seedlings should be used for plantations in the vicinity of the project area and distribute the remaining free of cost.
Under Phase-III, the NHAI undertook to upgrade the two-lane road to four between Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh border up to Wainganga bridge from chainage 405km-485km with 60 metre right of way throughout the stretch.
Out of the total project length of 80km, 23.85km of road passes through 10 dense forest patches. However, some patches were completed by the NHAI without taking mitigation steps. Of the stretch from Bhandara to Deori, 13.45km has already been upgraded to a four-lane by violating Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980.