Assam floods: Prohibitory orders imposed on Kaziranga Highway to protect wildlife
Guwahati: The Assam government has imposed a blockade and traffic restrictions on the national highway passing through the Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve to ensure safe passage for wild animals as floodwaters continue to rise following incessant monsoon rains.
The Kaliabor Co-District Administration issued the order under Section 163 of the Indian Civil Safety Code (BNSS), 2023. The order was issued after the Divisional Forest Officer of the Eastern Assam Wildlife Division, Bokakhat, warned that rising water levels could submerge the entire stretch of National Highway 715 (old NH-37), forcing wild animals to flee the flooded park to higher ground in the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council area.
The administration stated that the heavy traffic of public, commercial, and essential service vehicles on the highway significantly increases the risk of road accidents involving wild animals during the annual migration.
Additional District Magistrate-cum-Co-District Commissioner Raj Borua issued the ban order, which came into effect immediately and will remain in effect throughout the monsoon season from June 1 to September 30.
Under these restrictions, all vehicles passing through the Kaziranga Corridor must maintain a maximum speed limit of 40 kmph. Gatherings of five or more people are prohibited within designated animal corridors, while parking or stopping of both light and heavy vehicles is prohibited in the Kaziranga section under the Kaliabor Co-District, except in cases of mechanical failure.
The order also prohibits the use of bright lights at night, playing loud music from vehicle sound systems, and blaring horns unnecessarily within the wildlife corridor to minimize disturbance to animals crossing the highway.
These restrictions apply to the Rangalu-Bagori section of National Highway 715, which passes through several important animal corridors connecting Kaziranga to the Karbi Anglong Hills.
Authorities have exempted police personnel, paramilitary forces, armed forces, forest officials, security personnel, ambulances carrying critically ill patients, and doctors and paramedical staff on emergency duty from the restrictions.
Authorities have warned that any violation of the restrictions will result in legal action under Section 223 of the Indian Penal Code (BNS), 2023, as well as other applicable provisions of the law.
Every year during the monsoon, the Brahmaputra and its tributaries flood large areas of Kaziranga National Park, forcing rhinos, elephants, swamp deer, wild buffalo, and many other species to migrate to higher ground in the nearby Karbi Anglong Hills. The highway passing through the park serves as a crucial crossing point for wild animals, making speed regulation and traffic control essential to prevent fatal collisions.
Forest officials have appealed to drivers to strictly adhere to the posted speed limit, avoid unnecessary stops on protected stretches, and cooperate with enforcement staff deployed along the highway to ensure the safe movement of wild animals during the flood season.
