Assam flood: Traffic regulated for safety of animals in Kaziranga

GUWAHATI: In view of the ongoing flood situation in Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve (KNPTR), police authorities on Monday issued traffic diversions to ensure the safety of animals coming out of the park in search of shelter.
All passenger vehicles, both private and commercial, have been asked to move at a regulated speed escorted by police and forest staff every half an hour.Besides, movement of commercial heavy vehicles through the park has been restricted.
The notice said, "All commercial trucks going to upper Assam will be rerouted through the north bank of the Brahmaputra via Kalia Bhomora bridge and Bogibeel bridge. Also commercial trucks enroute Nagaland are rerouted through Nagaon-Hojai-Karbi Anglong route."
All commercial trucks going to lower Assam from Dibrugarh and Tinsukia are rerouted via north bank through Bogibeel Bridge. Heavy commercial vehicles going to lower Assam from Jorhat, Sivasagar and Charaideo are diverted from Numaligarh Tiniali towards Karbi Anglong, Hojai and Nagaon. However, commercial trucks from Nagaland and Karbi Anglong are advised not to take the Numaligarh Tiniali route towards KNPTR.
Assam Police DGP GP Singh also requested people to be extremely cautious while driving. Sharing a video of a herd of elephants crossing a road on X, he wrote, "Our co-inhabitants have first right of passage on highways in times of distress brought by floods."
According to a flood report of the KNPTR shared on Monday evening, 95 out of the total 223 forest camps across its five forest ranges and two wildlife divisions were inundated. Six of the inundated camps have been vacated. However, no animal deaths were reported. The Agaratoli range was the most affected as all 34 camps in the range were inundated.