Assam eyes six-hour travel radius with new expressways, high-speed corridors

Guwahati, June 24 (IANS) Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday said the state is building a network of expressways and high-speed corridors aimed at drastically reducing travel time across the Northeast and boosting regional connectivity, trade and tourism.

In a social media post, the Chief Minister said the government’s vision is to bring every region of Assam within a six-hour travel radius, significantly reducing journey durations that currently range between 13 and 15 hours.

Highlighting one of the flagship infrastructure projects, CM Sarma said work on the proposed Shillong-Silchar High-Speed Corridor has already commenced as part of the larger Siliguri-Silchar Expressway vision.

The Chief Minister stated that the Shillong-Silchar corridor will be developed at an estimated cost of Rs 22,864 crore. The project envisages a 166.8-km greenfield corridor designed as a four-lane access-controlled highway aimed at ensuring faster, safer and more efficient transportation across the region.

The corridor will strengthen connectivity between Guwahati, Shillong and Silchar while serving as a key transportation link for several northeastern states, including Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, Mizoram and Manipur.

Officials stated that the project will significantly improve the movement of goods and passengers, lower logistics costs and facilitate faster access to markets.

The corridor is also expected to provide a major boost to tourism by improving road connectivity to several popular destinations across the Northeast.

The Chief Minister noted that the high-speed road network forms part of a broader infrastructure transformation agenda being pursued by the state government in collaboration with the Centre. The objective is to create seamless transportation corridors that can support economic growth, industrial development and regional integration.

Infrastructure experts have observed that improved road connectivity is critical for unlocking the economic potential of the Northeast, a region that often faces logistical challenges due to difficult terrain and long travel times.

The Shillong-Silchar corridor, once completed, is expected to emerge as one of the most important transport links in the Northeast, facilitating trade, enhancing mobility and strengthening inter-state connectivity while contributing to the region’s long-term economic development.

–IANS

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