NBWL okays bridge project on highway in Chambal sanctuary

Jaipur: The standing committee of National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) granted approval for the construction of a bridge on state highway-120 (Indargarh–Lalitpur) which passes through the Chambal Gharial Sanctuary area.

The bridge is expected to benefit over 3 lakh residents in the Indargarh and Lakheri areas of Bundi district, the Khatauli, Pipalda and Etawa areas of Kota district, and parts of Madhya Pradesh.

A senior official said, "With this decision, the path is now clear for the construction of the proposed high-level bridge on the Chambal River and its approach road. The project was stalled for years but finally received the green light after the Lok Sabha Speaker pushed for it and held discussions with the ministry of environment."

In 2023, the public works department granted administrative approval of Rs 256.46 crore for the construction of the bridge at village Gothda Kalan on the Indargarh–Dhibri–Rajopa–Etawa–Shahnawda–Lalitpur state highway-120.

The total proposed length of the bridge is 4.8 kilometre, comprising 1,880 metre of bridge structure and 2,920 metre of approach roads. "Land acquisition is underway, with 14.94 hectares in Bundi district and 7.233 hectares in Kota district. Since the bridge falls within the Chambal Sanctuary area, approval from the National Board for Wildlife was essential," the official added.

The proposal, submitted in Dec 2023, was forwarded to the Wildlife Board following recommendations by the State Wildlife Board. The NBWL granted clearance with necessary environmental conditions during its meeting on April 22, 2025.