Meghalaya secures ₹50,000 crore highway boost with new Greenfield corridors

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has unveiled a massive ₹50,000 crore highway package for Meghalaya. The announcement includes several high-impact projects aimed at boosting connectivity in the northeastern region. Among them is a new 165-km Silchar-Shillong Greenfield highway, costing ₹23,000 crore. The highway package forms part of a broader ₹40,000 crore infrastructure push for the area. This includes the 136-km Goeragre-Baghmara-Dalu road project. A third major initiative, a ₹18,500 crore corridor between Guwahati and Shillong, already has its detailed project report (DPR) ready.

Another Greenfield corridor, a 66-km link between Shillong and Guwahati, is in the final stage of DPR preparation. Gadkari also announced a ₹330-crore project to four-lane a 9-km stretch from Pomlum to Umtynger on the Shillong-Dawki road. The government plans to start work on the 66-km Jorabat-Umiam project this year, provided land clearance is completed.

Land acquisition for the Silchar-Shillong corridor is already underway. The minister emphasised a new policy: no projects will receive approval without at least 90% clearance for land acquisition and forest permissions. The planned Siliguri-Guwahati-Shillong-Silchar high-speed corridor is expected to triple tourist numbers in the region. The new highway projects promise to transform connectivity in Meghalaya and the surrounding areas. With strict clearance requirements in place, the ministry aims to accelerate implementation. The initiatives are set to enhance travel, trade, and tourism across the northeastern states.