Biodiversity Assessment for Asian Highway 48 (Near Jaldapara National Park) From Bhutan to Bangladesh Passing Through India: Case Study

Background

The Government of India had applied for financial assistance from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) towards the cost of SASEC road connectivity investment program (SRCIP). The SRCIP is a multi-tranche Financing facility (MFF) that aims to improve about 500 km of priority road sections in the North Bengal and Northeast of India, through an investment program set out in phases (tranches). Asian highway (AH) 48 from Jaigaon to Changrabandha (about 91 km) was existing road of 2 lane standards and had flexible pavements and was a part of the existing National Highway Network. The realignments and bypasses had been proposed in the project road. The Government of India had applied a portion of financial assistance to engage consultant firms to provide services related to Authority Engineer, Implementation Support Consultant and External Monitoring for Wildlife Conservation Activities. The Authority’s Engineer has been engaged for EPC contracts at the contract level. In addition, the Implementation Support Consultant (ISC) is engaged to support EAs in external monitoring of safeguard implementation, third-party maintenance quality, road safety audit, financial management and subsequent submission to ADB. ADB has a regional cooperation program in four South Asian countries: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal, called South Asia Economic Cooperation (SASEC1), which has been supporting regional cooperation in the transport sector through SAARC2 and BIMSTEC3 over a decade. The transport division of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and Pacific (ESCAP) has initiated the Asian Highway Network with the aim of promoting the development of international road transport in the region. The regional road connector between Bhutan and Bangladesh through India is designated as Asian Highway No.48 (AH-48). Trade and people movement is gradually increasing through the selected corridor.

The regional road connector between Bhutan and Bangladesh through India is designated as Asian Highway No.48 (AH-48). Rehabilitation and Upgrading to 2-lane with paved shoulder configuration and strengthening of Bhutan Border (at Pasakha) to Bangladesh Border (at Changrabandha) comprising of Jaigaon-Hasimara-Dhupguri section and Mainaguri –Changrabandha section (totalling 90.568 km) including Pasakha access road of AH-48 corridor comprised of: Widening and strengthening of road with 10m carriageway including paved shoulder and 1 m of earthen shoulder covered with 150mm thick compacted layer of granular material on either side of road in rural area, and 11.5m carriageway in urban locations.