India's transport minister unveils massive north-east highway corridor and Gorakhpur-Siliguri expressway

Transport minister Nitin Gadkari unveiled a comprehensive road-building programme aimed at transforming connectivity in India's north-east. The centerpiece is a 630-km corridor that will stitch together Siliguri, Guwahati, Shillong and Silchar through a mix of new highways and upgraded sections, with the 400-km Siliguri-Guwahati stretch earmarked for a Rs 30,000 crore investment. A greenfield link between Jorabat and Barapani will shrink the Guwahati-Shillong distance from 100 km to 66 km, cutting travel time from two-and-a-half hours to about one hour.

Another greenfield road will connect Shillong to Silchar over 165 km, halving one outlet eight-hour journey. In parallel, the ministry announced a Gorakhpur-Siliguri expressway to boost Uttar Pradesh’s link to the north-east. Assam already hosts 265 road projects costing nearly Rs 2 lakh crore, and a new Rs 8,970.20 crore, 135.87-km Guwahati-Tezpur four-lane corridor will double average speeds. The overall plan is positioned as a strategic lifeline for the region, including the sensitive “Chicken’s Neck” corridor.