Nitin Gadkari: 2029-30 Target set for Shillong-Silchar Corridor

Staff Reporter

Guwahati: The central government has set a completion target of financial year 2029-30 for the proposed Mawlyngkhung (near Shillong in Meghalaya)-Panchgram (near Silchar in Assam) greenfield high-speed corridor. The total cost of the project is estimated at Rs 22,864 crore.

This was informed on the floor of the Rajya Sabha by the Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Jairam Gadkari, today, in response to a question posed by MP Sushmita Dev.

Union Minister Gadkari said, “The Shillong to Silchar highway project is a 168 km-long Greenfield High Speed Corridor designed with a 4-lane with paved shoulders configuration. The project passes through the Ri-Bhoi, East Khasi Hills, West Jaintia Hills, and East Jaintia Hills districts in Meghalaya and Cachar in Assam. Major project features include 18 major bridges, 150 minor bridges, 38 viaducts, 320 box culverts, 26 vehicular overpasses (VOP), 21 vehicular underpasses (VUP), and 10 light vehicular underpasses (LVUP). The total cost of the project is estimated at Rs 22,864 crore (including a civil cost of Rs 12,087 crore), with the expected timeline for completion set for the Financial Year 2029-30.”

Regarding land acquisition, the notification under Section 3(a) of the National Highways Act, 1956, i.e., appointment of CALA (Competent Authority for Land Acquisition), has been published. The National Institute of Rock Mechanics (NIRM), Bangalore, has been consulted for advising on project features, specifically slope protection/stabilisation measures, as the hilly terrain poses significant challenges due to the fragile geology of the region.

Gadkari further stated, “The current average travel time along the existing route is approximately 8 hours. With the development of the High-Speed Corridor, the travel time is expected to be reduced to approximately 4 hours. This translates to an approximate 50% reduction in travel time.”

The project is expected to generate approximately 8.9 million person-days of employment. This includes both direct and indirect employment generated during the construction, pre-construction, operation, and maintenance stages.

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