Silchar, 14 March (H.S.): Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on the second day of his transformative Assam sojourn, performed the ceremonial bhoomi pujan for the ambitious Shillong-Silchar Corridor, heralding a new chapter in North-East India's infrastructure landscape. This pioneering 166-km access-controlled greenfield four-lane high-speed highway, backed by an investment of approximately ₹22,860 crore, promises to slash the Guwahati-Silchar travel time from 8.5 hours to just five, fostering economic vitality and seamless cross-border commerce between Meghalaya and Assam.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma extended a rapturous reception to the Prime Minister upon his arrival in Silchar, where PM Modi is set to unveil an array of development initiatives totaling ₹23,550 crore.
These encompass critical enhancements like the elevated corridor on NH-306 from Trunk Road near Capital Point to Rangirkhari Point (Phase-I), poised to alleviate congestion in one of Silchar's arterial thoroughfares and bolster linkages with Mizoram, Tripura, and Manipur, thereby invigorating the Barak Valley's economic prospects.
The preceding day in Guwahati witnessed Modi inaugurating projects valued at over ₹4,570 crore via video conferencing from the state capital, after inclement weather thwarted his Kokrajhar itinerary.
Key highlights included flagging off three vital train services—the Kamakhya-Charlapalli Amrit Bharat Express linking Northeast to southern India, Guwahati-New Jalpaiguri Express fortifying Assam-West Bengal ties, and Narangi-Agartala Express augmenting Assam-Tripura rail connectivity—alongside the foundation stone for a Periodic Overhauling Workshop at Bashbari.
Collectively,PM Modi's two-day blitz across Kokrajhar, Guwahati, and Silchar eclipses ₹47,800 crore in transformative ventures, underscoring a fervent commitment to Northeast resurgence.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
