The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has sanctioned a significant infrastructure initiative involving the construction, operation, and upkeep of a 166.80 km, four-lane, access-controlled Greenfield highway along National Highway 06. This high-speed corridor will extend from Mawlyngkhung, near Shillong in Meghalaya, to Panchgram, near Silchar in Assam. The project will be executed under the Hybrid Annuity Model and involves a total capital investment of Rs 22,864 crore. Of the total stretch, 144.80 km falls within Meghalaya, while the remaining 22 km lies in Assam.
This Greenfield corridor’s main objective is to upgrade traffic movement between Guwahati and Silchar significantly. The improved road infrastructure will notably shorten travel time and distance, enhancing accessibility to Tripura, Mizoram, Manipur, and Assam’s Barak Valley from Guwahati and the Indian mainland. As a result, the project is expected to contribute positively to the country’s logistics performance.
Additionally, this corridor is anticipated to promote economic activity in both Meghalaya and Assam. In Meghalaya, the route passes through key cement and coal-producing zones, thereby facilitating industrial expansion. The improved connectivity is also expected to benefit both domestic and international tourists, owing to proximity to major airports—Guwahati, Shillong, and Silchar—and its alignment with the existing NH-06. With its scenic route through the North-Eastern landscape, the corridor is expected to enhance tourism in the region.
The highway will also strengthen inter-city transport networks between Guwahati, Shillong, and Silchar. It will traverse multiple districts, including Ri Bhoi, East Khasi Hills, West Jaintia Hills, East Jaintia Hills in Meghalaya, and Cachar in Assam. This new development will help alleviate traffic congestion on the existing NH-06 and aligns with the broader goals of the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan, aimed at enhancing national infrastructure.
The planned alignment will integrate seamlessly with major national transport routes, including NH-27, NH-106, NH-206, and NH-37, thereby facilitating better regional access to cities such as Guwahati, Shillong, Silchar, Diengpasoh, Ummulong, Phramer, Khlieriat, Ratachera, Umkiang, and Kalain.
Upon its completion, the Shillong–Silchar Greenfield Corridor is expected to become a key driver of regional development. It will bolster connectivity among major cities, including Guwahati, Shillong, Silchar, Imphal, Aizawl, and Agartala. The project is in line with the Government of India’s Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative, aiming not only at infrastructure improvement but also at generating employment and promoting inclusive socio-economic growth in the North-Eastern states of Meghalaya, Assam, Manipur, Mizoram, and Tripura.
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