NHAI pushes ₹400-cr underpasses on Sakoli-Deori highway

Decks have been cleared for construction of four wildlife underpasses on NH-6 between Sakoli and Deori with Regional Empowered Committee (REC) of the MoEFCC finally giving a go ahead to the mega project, which involves an investment of ₹400 crore. The already widened NH-6 cuts through vital wildlife corridors as over 50.68 hectares of forest land will be diverted for the project that will enable animals to safely pass under the highway. The agency is floating fresh tenders as the underpasses were not part of the works when the highway was widened. The construction work will start once the lock down is lifted, said regional officer, NHAI, Naresh Wadetwar, adding that these four forest patches connect seven vital tiger populations of Central Indian Tiger Landscape. These are corridors connecting Melghat, Satpura, Pench (MP & Maharashtra), Kanha, Navegaon-Nagzira, Indravati and Tadoba-Andhari tiger reserves. The proposal includes three underpasses of 750 metres and one underpass of 700 metres length. The Patch 1 between Sirpur-Navatola is 700mt, Patch 6 Maramjob-Dongargaon (750mt), Patch 8 Bamhni-Duggipar (750mt), and Patch 10 Sakoli-Mundipar (750mt) where all will have 5-metre height.