Guwahati to Silchar in 5 hours: Here’s how corridor will boost connectivity in Northeast region
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is all set to lay the foundation stone for the Shillong-Silchar Corridor, the first access-controlled greenfield four-lane high-speed corridor in North-East India. The project will traverse through the difficult terrain of the Northeast region and aims to enhance connectivity between the bustling cities of Guwahati and Silchar. The Union Cabinet had approved the construction of the 4-lane high-speed corridor along National Highway-6 from Mawlyngkhung near Shillong in Meghalaya to Panchgram near Silchar in Assam. The project will be built on Hybrid Annuity Mode as an access-controlled greenfield high-speed corridor.
The 166 km Shillong-Silchar corridor will be built with an investment of around Rs 22,860 crore. Once completed, the corridor will significantly improve connectivity between Meghalaya and Assam. Out of the entire length, around 144 km lies in Meghalaya, and 22 km will be in Assam. The corridor is expected to be constructed in three years, and tenders have already been floated.
According to reports, the corridor will have a total of 19 major bridges, 153 minor bridges, 326 culverts, 22 underpasses, 26 overpasses and 34 viaducts.
Will cut travel time to 5 hours
The project will decongest one of Silchar’s busiest roads, improve connectivity with neighbouring states such as Mizoram, Tripura and Manipur, and contribute to the economic development of the Barak Valley.
It will also reduce the distance between Guwahati and Silchar and cut travel time from 8.5 hours to approximately 5 hours, boosting economic growth and cross-border trade in the region.
To bolster connectivity between mainland and northeastern states
According to Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari, the corridor will shrink the travel distance between Guwahati and Silchar to 245 km – an approximate reduction of 25 per cent.
“Beyond improving access within Assam’s Barak Valley, the corridor will dramatically bolster connectivity between the mainland and the northeastern states of Meghalaya, Tripura, Mizoram, and Manipur. The project is poised to become the shortest and fastest freight route for trucks and heavy vehicles bound for Silchar and further east,” Gadkari said in a post on X.
The project will also facilitate access to major airports in Guwahati, Shillong, and Silchar, and connect key cities and towns, including Diengpasoh, Ummulong, Phramer, Khlieriat, Ratachera, Umkiang, and Kalai.
