Staff Reporter
Guwahati: A fresh move has been initiated by the Government of India for the preparation of a feasibility study and detailed project report (DPR) for the proposed four-lane highway from Phulbari to Shillong in Meghalaya.
Currently, work is underway on the Dhubri-Phulabari bridge over the river Brahmaputra. Dhubri is located on the north bank and Phulbari on the south bank of the Brahmaputra. The proposed road will start from Phulbari in the West Garo Hills district of Meghalaya, right on the state border with Assam, and end in the state capital of Meghalaya, Shillong.
Earlier, the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (NHIDCL), which is entrusted with the work on the road by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), had invited bids for the preparation of a feasibility study and DPR for the proposed four-lane highway with paved shoulders. At that time, several firms had submitted bids for the project, but all bidders were found ‘non-responsive’ by NHIDCL, and the process was shelved.
Now, NHIDCL has restarted the process to appoint consultancy services for the project and invited fresh tenders.
According to the tender notice, the last date for submitting bids by consultancy firms is December 15, 2025. The tentative length of the four-lane Phulbari-Shillong road (NH-127B/NH-106) is 225 km. The target for preparing the DPR by the consultancy firm appointed by NHIDCL is six months.
After the proposed highway becomes a reality, travellers from other states headed for Shillong will no longer have to go via Guwahati. On crossing the Dhubri-Phulbari bridge, after it is completed, they can travel straight to Shillong on the new four-lane highway, cutting down considerably on travel time and distance.
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