PM Modi’s Big NE Infra Push: Region Gets Infra Projects Worth Over Rs 3 Lakh Cr

The Modi government’s infrastructure push is transforming the Northeast into a gateway of growth, and connectivity.

In a historic move to transform connectivity and boost development across the Northeast, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has launched an unprecedented infrastructure push in the region. With projects worth over Rs. 3 lakh crore in the pipeline, the Centre is reshaping the landscape of the Northeast, including the Rs. 22,864-crore Shillong-Silchar Greenfield High-Speed Corridor and India’s first under-river tunnel beneath the Brahmaputra.

Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw yesterday announced that the 166-km high-speed corridor from Panchgram near Silchar to Mawlyngkhung near Shillong will be completed within three years. “The project will drastically improve connectivity between Guwahati, Shillong, Silchar, Imphal, Aizawl, and Agartala, driving regional growth,” he said. The corridor will pass through tough hilly terrain with multiple tunnels planned to ensure smooth travel.

Of the total length, 22 km will be in Assam and 144 km in Meghalaya, covering key districts like Cachar, Ri-Bhoi, East Khasi Hills, West Jaintia Hills, and East Jaintia Hills. It will ease traffic on National Highway 6 and benefit both national and international tourists connecting via Guwahati, Shillong, and Silchar airports.

The project will generate 74 lakh man-days directly and 93 lakh man-days indirectly. Rs. 3,503 crore has been allocated for land acquisition alone.

Earlier, on February 26, Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari also announced Rs. 80,000 crore worth of road projects in Assam, including a ring road for Guwahati, an elevated corridor in Kaziranga National Park, and a historic four-lane road tunnel under the Brahmaputra River.

This under-river tunnel, set to connect Gohpur and Numaligarh, will reduce travel time from 6.5 hours to just 30 minutes by cutting the distance from 240 km to 34 km. The project’s Detailed Project Report (DPR) has been completed and approved by NHIDCL’s technical committee. Construction is expected to take five years post-award.

At the Advantage Assam 2.0 summit, Nitin Gadkari also said Rs. 3 lakh crore worth of infrastructure projects will be completed in Assam by 2029. Five MoUs have already been signed in key sectors like healthcare, education, energy, and manufacturing, adding to the state’s growing investment profile.

In the railway sector, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw informed Lok Sabha that the Centre is implementing 18 projects worth Rs 74,972 crore across Assam and the Northeast. These include 13 new rail lines and five doubling projects covering 1,368 km, out of which 313 km have been commissioned as of March 2024. The Centre has already spent Rs. 40,549 crore on these works.

Between 2014 and 2024, the average pace of railway track commissioning in the region has nearly tripled compared to the 2009-2014 period. The annual infrastructure budget has also risen nearly fivefold, from Rs. 2,122 crore to Rs. 10,376 crore for FY 2024-25.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on March 9, 2024, virtually inaugurated the strategically important Sela Tunnel in Arunachal Pradesh. Built by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) at an altitude of 13,000 feet, the Rs. 825-crore tunnel ensures all-weather connectivity between Tezpur in Assam and Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh. Constructed using the advanced Austrian Tunnelling Method, the tunnel boosts defence readiness and supports border development.

PM Modi criticised the neglect of border villages in previous regimes and reaffirmed his government’s commitment to national interest over electoral politics.

The Modi government’s infrastructure push is transforming the Northeast into a gateway of growth, connectivity, and national integration.

Also Read: DoNER Minister Meets Top Industrialists Ahead of Rising Northeast Investment Summit 2025

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