Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday launched and laid the foundation for a series of development projects worth Rs 23,550 crore in Silchar in Assam, as political activity intensifies ahead of the upcoming assembly elections.
The prime minister performed the bhoomi poojan for a major access-controlled expressway that will connect Silchar in Cachar district with Shillong in Meghalaya. Estimated at Rs 22,864 crore, the project will be the first access-controlled expressway in the Northeast.
The 166-km four-lane greenfield high-speed corridor is expected to significantly improve connectivity in the region by shortening the distance between Guwahati and Silchar from 295 km to 252 km.
Officials said the new corridor will reduce travel time between the two cities from about 8.5 hours to roughly five hours.
In addition, Modi initiated work on an elevated corridor along National Highway 306 in Silchar.
The Rs 565-crore project will run from Trunk Road near Capital Point to Rangirkhari Point and is aimed at easing traffic congestion on one of the town’s busiest stretches.
Authorities said the project will also strengthen connectivity between the Barak Valley and neighbouring states including Mizoram, Tripura and Manipur, while supporting economic activity in the region.
The prime minister also laid the foundation stone for a new College of Agriculture at Patharkandi in Karimganj district. The institution will be built at an estimated cost of Rs 122 crore.
Officials said the initiatives form part of a broader set of projects worth Rs 47,800 crore that Modi has unveiled in the state since Friday.
Assam is expected to head to the polls in April, with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance seeking a third consecutive term in power.
