New Delhi, (IANS) The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has approved Rs 186 crore for the wildlife mitigation measures of a highway that cuts across the tiger corridor in Maharashtra, an official statement said on Thursday.

“For the road project of widening of the Madhya Pradesh/Maharashtra border-Mansar section of the existing NH-7 which cuts across the tiger corridor in the state of Maharashtra, NHAI has approved Rs 186 crore for wildlife mitigation measures to take care of any possible adverse impact on the tiger population in the Pench-Kanha Tiger Corridor,” said the statement.

According to it, the amount is only a part of the amount to be spent for the purpose.

The total length of the project from Nagpur to Madhya Pradesh/Maharashtra border is 117 Km. Out of this, the work of four-laning of about 79 Km, which includes the Nagpur Bypass, Kamptee- Kanhan Bypass and Kanhan to Mansar of existing NH-7, was completed in July 2012.

“However, the work of four-laning from Mansar to MH/MP Border could not be taken up for want of tree felling permission and finalisation of mitigation measures to be adopted for wildlife habitat in and around the stretch,” said the statement.