CORRESPONDENT
SHILLONG: Meghalaya Deputy Chief Minister in charge of PWD, Prestone Tynsong, has indicated that work on the Northeast’s first access-controlled four-lane greenfield high-speed highway is progressing. Tenders for Package I and II have already been invited, land acquisition in Ri Bhoi is largely complete, and alignments across Khasi Hills and West Jaintia Hills have been finalised, while some portions in East Jaintia Hills remain under discussion.
Speaking to media persons, Tynsong said, “For the proposed high-speed corridor project, tenders for Package I and II have already been invited. In Ri Bhoi district, land acquisition is more or less finalised. Alignments have also been finalised for Khasi Hills and West Jaintia Hills, while some portions in East Jaintia Hills are still under discussion. The expressway will significantly reduce travel time—from around three hours to about one and a half hours—resulting in substantial time savings. This is also an economic corridor, and once completed, traffic flow will increase as Meghalaya serves as a key transit state, thereby boosting economic activity.”
Highlighting the transformative potential of the project, he underscored that the corridor is expected to significantly reduce travel time while strengthening Meghalaya’s role as a transit hub, thereby boosting economic activity in the region.
Responding to concerns over why the project is not being developed as a six-lane expressway, Tynsong cited geographical constraints posed by the state’s terrain.
“You need to understand that Meghalaya, unlike the plains of Assam, is largely hilly. Even constructing a two-lane road is challenging, as seen on the Shillong–Dawki stretch. In several sections, expanding to four lanes itself is difficult due to space constraints. Therefore, the Government of India has not opted for six-laning because of these geographical limitations,” he said.
It may be noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Rs 22,864 crore Shillong–Silchar Corridor on March 14, 2026, marking the groundbreaking of the Northeast’s first access-controlled four-lane greenfield high-speed highway. The 166-km project, connecting Mawlyngkhung to Panchgram, is expected to reduce travel time between Guwahati and Silchar from about 8.5 hours to nearly five hours, significantly enhancing regional connectivity.
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