GUWAHATI, May 6: Following the Union Cabinet’s approval of the Rs 22,864-crore Shillong-Silchar Greenfield Corridor, the Assam government has announced a fresh infrastructure push—highlighted by a new six-lane access-controlled highway between Barapani and Guwahati, and multiple connectivity and welfare projects.
Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the 166-km Shillong-Silchar corridor, expected to be completed within three years, will be a game-changer for inter-state connectivity, linking Guwahati, Shillong, Silchar, Imphal, Aizawl, and Agartala.
“The Silchar-Shillong corridor will transform travel and logistics in the region, reduce congestion on NH6, and significantly boost economic growth,” Sarma said.
“Shillong-Silchar Corridor will run 22 km in Assam and 144 km in Meghalaya, covering Cachar, Ri-Bhoi, East Khasi Hills, West Jaintia Hills, and East Jaintia Hills. It will be an access-controlled high-speed road, with no stoppage or turning, reducing Shillong to Silchar travel time to just five hours,” the chief Minister said.
“Barapani-Guwahati Expressway will be a separate six-lane high-speed expressway between Barapani and Guwahati is being pursued by the state. Travel time is expected to be cut to just one hour,” he also said.
This corridor will serve as a third major route after the Silchar-Guwahati via Haflong and Silchar-Guwahati via Jowai roads.
Sarma also announced plans for three additional access-controlled corridors Srirampur–Guwahati, Guwahati–Jorhat and Jorhat–Dibrugarh under phasewise.
The State Cabinet in its meeting on Monday approved Rs 40 crore for a new water supply project in Lala, Hailakandi, following last year’s cabinet meeting held in Silchar.
The cabinet also gave its nod for the engagement of ‘Jal Mitras’ currently involved in water supply work under sanitation schemes of PHE department. They will receive a monthly honorarium of Rs 1,000, plus performance-based payments.
“The cabinet further approved the convergence model prepared by Water Resources Department (WRD) and Panchayat and Rural Development (PNRD). The scheme will be implemented with the labour force of MGNREGA aiming to save up to 40% in funding,” Sarma said.
“This year, we’ll start with five to six projects under this model,” Sarma also said.
The Cabinet approved replacing Office Memorandums (OMs) with Executive Orders to ensure enforceability and avoid legal disputes.
The cabinet also granted financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh for families of Pahalgam victims, to be delivered post-May 12 by government representatives.
The cabinet further granted Rs 2 lakh grants for 347 OBB teachers in Nalbari under the CM’s Atmanirbhar Scheme.
The Cabinet cleared the merger of the Bureau of Investigation Economic Offences (BIEO) with the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Directorate, to streamline anti-corruption efforts.
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