As nearly 16 hectares of forest land will be required for the 22-km Sariska Elevated Road project, the state govt has sought land diversion approval from the Union Ministry of Forest and Environment. Once this is approved, the project will move towards preparation of Detailed Project Report (DPR) and subsequent tendering.
A senior official said the proposal for land diversion was submitted through the Parivesh portal, and the administration will assess its impact on wildlife and forest conservation before forwarding it to the ministry once again. A forest official said, “The project is being implemented in compliance with a Supreme Court directive to protect wildlife. It is designed to prevent fatal accidents involving wildlife while also improving connectivity between Jaipur and Alwar.”The land that will be diverted will be compensated for by allocating an equivalent land parcel adjacent to the Sariska forest. Authorities are currently identifying a suitable alternative land tract.
The elevated road will reduce travel time between Alwar and Jaipur by 45 minutes. Commuters currently take around three hours and forty-five minutes to cover the distance. “We will proceed with DPR preparation, followed by project approval and tendering,” the official added.
As per the proposed route, the elevated road will start from Natni Ka Bara and extend through Kushalgarh, Talvriksha, and Mundawar Mor, covering a total distance of 22 km. A source in the forest department revealed that the initial route, which was planned via the Thank You Board, was ruled out due to land ownership issues that would have escalated project costs. The tentative cost of the project has been estimated at Rs 1,600 crore.
However, the amendment to the alignment of the proposed elevated road passing through the Sariska Tiger Reserve (STR) has drawn sharp criticism from environmentalists and locals.
