Northeast India to Get Its First High-Speed Road Corridor Under Proposed Plan
Why in News?
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Despite the construction of 572 km of four-lane NHs in Assam in the last 5 years—the highest in Northeast—no high-speed road corridors or super expressways have been developed in the region so far. In contrast, states like Rajasthan, Haryana, and Gujarat have made major strides in high-speed road development. The proposed Guwahati–Silchar expressway marks a historic step towards introducing high-speed infrastructure in the Northeast, aiming to bridge the regional connectivity gap and bring the region on par with other parts of the country. The project also gains attention as Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma has actively taken up the issue with the central government, highlighting its strategic importance.
Important Key Points:
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First High-Speed Corridor in Northeast India:
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The Centre and Assam governments are planning the first high-speed road corridor for the Northeast region.
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The proposed expressway will pass through Assam and Meghalaya, connecting Guwahati and Silchar via Barapani.
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Project Alignment & Purpose:
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This expressway will have a completely new alignment—different from the existing NH route via Barapani and Jowai.
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It aims to bypass the landslide-prone zones in Meghalaya, which frequently disrupt traffic.
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Expected Impact:
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Once completed, the expressway is expected to reduce travel time between Guwahati and Silchar to approximately six hours.
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It will significantly boost connectivity, economic development, and logistics movement in the region.
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DPR Underway:
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The Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the Barapani to Silchar section has already been initiated by NHIDCL (National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd.) in Shillong.
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Additional Corridor Proposal:
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A second high-speed corridor is also under proposal, which would connect Guwahati with Dibrugarh, further enhancing road connectivity in upper Assam.
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