Guwahati: The Central government’s newly approved Shillong-Silchar expressway of Assam, will form a key link in a larger multi-modal transport network aimed at connecting Northeast India to seaports via Myanmar, bypassing Bangladesh.
The 166.8-km high-speed, four-lane expressway sanctioned for Rs 22,864 crore will run from Mawlyngkhung near Shillong to Panchgram near Silchar along NH-6.
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The project, undertaken by the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL), is expected to be completed by 2030.
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This expressway will connect with the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project in Myanmar, funded by India’s Ministry of External Affairs. The Kaladan project links Kolkata Port to Myanmar’s Sittwe Port via sea, continues inland through Paletwa, and then connects to India at Zorinpui in Mizoram. NHIDCL plans to extend the corridor from Zorinpui to Lawngtlai and then to Aizawl.
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Officials say this infrastructure will become a critical artery for Northeast India, improving access to Mizoram, Manipur, Tripura, and the Barak Valley region. It is also a strategic asset under India’s Act East Policy, offering a new trade and transport lifeline to the region.
Currently, the Siliguri Corridor is the only land connection between the Northeast and mainland India. This new corridor aims to change that, reducing travel time between Shillong and Silchar from 8.5 hours to just 5 hours.
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The expressway will traverse challenging hilly terrain, requiring cutting-edge engineering like slope stabilization and landslide forecasting. NHIDCL will deploy advanced technology, including LiDAR surveys and geological sensors, to ensure year-round road safety.
Built under the Hybrid Annuity Model, the expressway will include 19 major bridges, 153 minor bridges, 326 culverts, 22 underpasses, 26 overpasses, 8 limited-height subways, and 34 viaducts.
Strategically, the project offers an alternative sea route to the Northeast, countering recent remarks from Bangladesh’s interim government chief adviser Muhammad Yunus, who claimed Dhaka is the region’s “only guardian of the ocean.” The Kaladan link offers India an independent maritime corridor for cargo from ports like Vizag and Kolkata to its northeastern states.