Assam: PM Narendra Modi lays foundation for express highway in Silchar

A Correspondent 

Silchar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stones of two major connectivity projects – the Rs 23,000-crore Panchgram-Barapani High-speed Express Highway and the Rs 563-crore Silchar flyover – today in the presence of lakhs of people in the Budhurail-Chandrapur suburb area of Silchar. The foundation-laying ceremony, along with the Prime Minister’s assurance that the Barak Valley is on track to become the trade hub and commercial epicentre of the Northeast in the near future, provided a significant boost to the commencement of the election campaign in a grand style.

As lakhs of enthusiastic people braved the inclement weather to attend the lavishly arranged programme at a venue sprawling 30 lakh square feet at Budhurail Chandrapur, Modi, in a 33-minute speech, was at his eloquent best.

The Prime Minister laid the foundation stone for an agriculture college at Patharkandi. Marking these as a foundation for a brighter Barak, Modi smoothly diverted his speech towards a scathing attack on the Congress. He, however, significantly avoided any reference to sensitive issues like infiltration, eviction and citizenship. 

Referring to these projects, the Prime Minister said, “Be it roads, railways, or an agricultural college, with each of these projects, Barak Valley is set to become a major logistics and trade hub in the Northeast. The projects will create countless employment avenues and self-employment opportunities for the youth here.”

The 166-km Panchgram-Barapani high-speed Express Highway would be a major boost for the landlocked south Assam, as this route would reduce the journey between Silchar and Guwahati to a mere five hours.

The Prime Minister, in a sharp attack on the Congress, reminded the people of the partition victim Barak Valley as to how ruthlessly they had been deprived of their dues. Modi said, “Just as the Congress left the Northeast on its own, in a similar way it played a major role in weakening the Barak Valley. When India became independent, the Congress allowed a border to be created that cut off Barak Valley’s access to the ocean. The Barak Valley, once a thriving industrial centre, lost its strength. For decades after independence, Congress governments remained in power, yet the region saw little development. Today, the BJP government is working to change that.”

Referring to the Shillong–Silchar Corridor worth Rs 24,000 crore, the Prime Minister sarcastically said, “The Congress cannot even count how many zeroes such projects have. Where the thinking of Congress stops, our work begins. This corridor is bringing an end to the decades-long wait of the people of the Northeast. This corridor will connect Silchar with Mizoram, Manipur, and Tripura.”

Referring to the current war, the Prime Minister said, “Nowadays, conditions of war prevail all around the world. Our government is making every possible effort to ensure that the citizens of our country face the fewest hardships possible. Our objective is to minimise the impact of this war on the nation’s citizens. At this critical juncture, we expected the Congress party to act as a responsible political entity. However, the Congress has once again failed in this vital task concerning the national interest. The Congress is making every attempt to create panic within the country, hoping that the nation gets entangled in difficulties, so that they can subsequently heap endless abuse upon PM Modi. The Congress is increasingly becoming a mere puppet in the hands of global forces that cannot accept India’s rapid development.

PM Modi further made an appeal to every citizen of Assam, every young person, saying they must be cautious of the Congress. “Whether it is Assam or Barak Valley, the region has already progressed on the path of development. Barak Valley is known for its language, its literature, and its culture. The day is not far when Barak Valley will be recognized as a new centre of development.”

Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma, Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, two state ministers Kaushik Rai and Krishnendu Paul, three MPs Parimal Shuklabaidya, Kanad Purkayastha, and Kripanath Mallah, and the ruling alliance MLAs of the Valley were present on the dais.

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