Silchar: The Union cabinet led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approves Rs 22,864 crore Shillong to Silchar highway project to counter Bangladesh ‘landlocked’ remark by interim chief adviser of Bangladesh, Muhammad Yunus. The high-speed four-lane highway from Shillong to Silchar will connect Northeast to mainland India as the current Siliguri corridor known as ‘Chickens Neck’ is vulnerable to security and logistics challenges.
The approved Silchar to Shillong high speed four lane corridor will cover a distance of 166.8 kilometre and is expected to complete by 2030. It will further reduce the travel time along the National Highway 6 (NH6) from Meghalaya to Panchgram in Silchar to just 5 hours without crossing the international border.
A Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) official stated, “Shillong to Silchar high-speed four-lane highway will help in developing a robust land-sea corridor to Northeast without Bangladesh interference.”
This four lane expressway will help in boosting defense and diplomatic ties with Southeast Asia. Some experts believe that high-speed four-lane corridor will transform Silchar into a vital logistics hub covering Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura.
With approving Shillong to Silchar four-lane highway project, affirms the Central Governments initiative of Act East Policy and internal reliance strategy. Four-lane highway corridor is India’s clear message to internal reliance in connectivity strategy.