Package 2: Measures Taken to Maintain the Ecological Balance.

The proposed Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg is divided into five packages. Package 2 of the project includes Amravati, Washim and Buldhana districts. The administration has a huge responsibility of ensuring that while providing basic infrastructure facilities to the citizens, the ecological balance doesn’t get disrupted. The same care has been taken while planning and executing the Samruddhi Mahamarg Project. Let us find out more about the relevant measures being taken in Package 2 that includes Amravati, Washim and Buldhana districts…

The second stage of the Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg, i.e., Package 2 will start from Amravati district. Special care is being taken of the environment in this package comprising of a total of 3 districts. After conducting relevant studies, a report has been duly sent to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. Package 2 is critical from an environmental perspective as the proposed highway passes along Katepurna Wildlife Sanctuary and Karanja Sohol Sanctuary in this region.

The Karanja Sohol Sanctuary, famous for its blackbucks, is situated along the border of Washim and Akola. The Karanja Sohol Blackbuck Sanctuary is a government notified sanctuary. Accordingly, the area falling within a 10 kilometer radius from the centre-point of the sanctuary is reserved as an Eco Sensitive Zone. The intention is to avoid disrupting the day-to-day lives of wild animals by preventing human interference in this area. The Samruddhi Maharmarg does not pass through the actual sanctuary, but a part of it does pass through the Eco Sensitive Zone. However, the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation has taken upon itself to perform studies regarding the ecological balance and related issues in order to protect the blackbucks and other wildlife as well as conserve other rare wildlife species. Proposals in this regard have been sent to the Central Government. In order to ensure continued safe transit for the wildlife, several wildlife underpasses have been included in the design of the scheme.

In the case of Katepurna Wildlife Sanctuary, what the experts realized while making the initial drawings for the proposed highway from Amravati to Buldhana in Package 2 was that a part of the highway passes through the Katepurna Wildlife Sanctuary situated on the border of Amravati and Washim districts. As soon as this matter came to the authorities’ notice, the design of the Samruddhi Mahamarg was modified so that the highway no longer passed through Katepurna Wildlife Sanctuary, but from outside it in order to avoid causing any damage to the sanctuary.

In order to ensure that traffic woes do not escalate in the future, leading to traffic congestions, environmentally balanced solutions have been chalked out in Package 2 to create characteristic infrastructure facilities. In order to avoid causing any damage to natural resources like rivers and tree plantations, the following care is being taken in the construction of the proposed highway in Package 2 –

• A total of 60 vehicle underpasses and vehicle overpasses will be constructed under Package 2.
• Additionally, a total of around 26 lower vehicular underpasses will be constructed under Package 2.
• Keeping in mind environmental concerns, Package 2 will include 185 special underpasses for pedestrians and animals.

The MSRDC has planned the above compositions keeping in mind the convenience of the villagers as well as based on a study of the prevalent ecosystems. Along with the nurturing of natural resources like river banks and tree plantations, new tree plantations are going to be made with the help of environmental experts as a part of the scheme in Package 2.