Union govt launches extensive connectivity projects in North East

The Union government has embarked on a series of major connectivity projects in the northeastern region of India. These initiatives aim to enhance road, rail, and air connectivity to promote development and accessibility in the states.

In the road sector, a remarkable 261 projects with a combined sanctioned cost of Rs 1,02,594 crore are currently in progress through various agencies such as NHAI, NHIDCL, and State Public Works Departments (PWDs) in the northeastern states. Additionally, the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region has sanctioned 77 road projects worth Rs 3,372.58 crore under the North East Special Infrastructure Development Scheme (NESIDS) and North East Road Sector Development Scheme (NERSDS).

The railway sector also experiences significant improvements, with 19 infrastructure projects, covering a length of 1909 km and involving investments worth Rs 81,941 crore. A substantial portion of this, 482 km in length, has already been commissioned with an investment of Rs 37,713 crore by March 2023.

In the aviation domain, the Ministry of Civil Aviation has introduced the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS)-UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) to enhance air travel accessibility across the country, particularly in unserved and underserved areas. Several airports, including Rupsi, Tezu, Tezpur, Pasighat, Jorhat, Lilabari, Shillong, Pakyong, Itanagar, and Dimapur, have been operationalized under UDAN in the North Eastern Region, providing affordable air travel options to the masses.

Furthermore, the North Eastern Council (NEC) has sanctioned 51 projects worth Rs 4,345.16 crore under various schemes, focusing on rail, air, and road networks in the Northeastern States.