BHUBANESWAR: The standing committee of the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) has given its nod for use of 4.68 hectare forest land from the Kapilash wildlife sanctuary in Dhenkanal district for the much-awaited 111 km six-lane capital region ring road (CRRR) project to pass.
The apex board has approved the proposal for use of 13.26 hectare land from the sanctuary and its eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) for construction of the Gobindpur-Tangi stretch of the CRRR project in favour of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). The ring road connects Rameswar in Khurda to Tangi in Cuttack.
According to documents accessed by TNIE, the land meant for diversion is at the edge of the intensive wildlife management area. A prime elephant habitat, it witnesses movement of the elephants round the year.
The diversion for the Gobindpur-Tangi stretch of the CRRR project includes 4.682 hectare of forest land from Kapilash sanctuary and 8.594 hectare in the ESZ. About 2,978 trees are likely to be affected due to the proposed right of way in the forest and other land.
The diversion falls in compartment no-I of the sanctuary where the movement of elephants is regular, and following NBWL standing committee’s recommendation, at least 1 km stretch of the 110.875 km project, also known as ‘Bhubaneswar Bypass’, will pass through the protected area.
Considering the movement of elephants and other animals, the state government has formulated a wildlife mitigation plan with the help of Wildlife Institute of India (WII) for implementation of the project in the sanctuary.
Contacted, principal chief wildlife warden (PCCF), wildlife Prem Kumar Jha said implementing agency NHAI has been asked to take up the project in the approved land area of the sanctuary as an elevated corridor. It will include animal underpasses, culverts and viaducts with light and sound barriers to secure safe passage for the movement of wild animals. A site specific wildlife conservation plan has also been approved.
The standing committee of the NBWL has set 16 conditions to take up the project within the Kapilash sanctuary and its eco-sensitive zone.
Bhubaneswar MP Aparajita Sarangi said forest and other clearances for the project have been approved by Government of India recently and the project work is expected to commence soon.
NHAI officials said the forest clearances have already been obtained and tender for the entire 110.875 km project has been floated. “The project will be implemented once the tender is finalised,” said NHAI Odisha chief general manager Veerendra Singh.
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in August, 2025 had approved the project on hybrid annuity mode at an investment of Rs 8,307.74 crore. The 110.87 km project under Bharatmala scheme seeks to link Rameswar in Khurda to Tangi under Cuttack district.