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Centre Plans Strengthening North-East Region With Enhanced Connectivity

Centre Plans Strengthening North-East Region With Enhanced Connectivity

Centre Plans Strengthening North-East Region With Enhanced Connectivity
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The northeast region of India is joined with the rest of the country only by a narrow land corridor. Being prone to heavy rains and flooding, poses challenges for the execution of infrastructural projects here. Also, the difficult terrain and security concerns - since it shares borders with other countries - are other factors that have caused accessibility and connectivity issues in the region for years.

Connectivity projects under the Indian government’s ‘Act East’ Policy aim at breaking these barriers and bringing India closer to China and ASEAN countries. Also, the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region undertakes development schemes and projects with a focus on the socio-economic development of these states. The North-Eastern Council (NEC), a nodal agency for economic and social development of the northeast, mentions infrastructure deficit as a key focus area in the vision NER 2020 document.

MakaaniQ brings the latest updates on the major infrastructure developments and upcoming projects that will help shape the future of the northeast region (NER):

Highways and road networks

The Indian government is developing road networks spanning 5,200 kilometres in the NER. Some national highway projects and upgrades are also in the pipeline under the Bharatmala Pariyojana. Strategic projects for roads and bridges will be fast-tracked under the North East Road Sector Development Scheme (NERSDS), launched in 2015-16.

Here are some other proposed developments:

  • Aimed at catalysing economic activities, the 1,559-km Trans-Arunachal Highway will internally link the state from Tawang in the west to Kanubari in the east. Built at a total cost of Rs 10,000 crore, the project will be implemented under the Special Accelerated Road Development Programme (SARDP).
  • Plans for the Arunachal Frontier Highway and East-West Industrial Corridor have been proposed. Some of the roads under the SARDP will pass through landslide-prone areas.
  • The Centre has approved road projects worth Rs 64.41 billion for Nagaland under the SARDP.
  • Up-gradation works for the Tura Mankachar Road, the Doimukh Harmuti Road, the Wokha Merapani Road and the Kawnpui Bairabi Road will be taken up.
  • To tackle flooding problems, the Brahmaputra Express Highways, worth Rs 64,564 crore, will be developed. This will involve the construction of highways on the banks of the mighty river to mitigate the impact of flooding and erosion.
  • After offering assistance in key projects like the Delhi Metro and the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train project, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) will provide support in Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur and Mizoram.

Rail networks

While a broad-gauge railway line connecting Bairabi and Sairang, under Northeast Frontier Railway zone, is being developed to connect capital cities of the north-eastern states by 2020, on December 25 Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Bogibeel Bridge, the longest railroad bridge in India. The five-km structure in runs over the River Brahmputra connecting Dibrugarh in Assam and Dhemaji bordering Arunachal Pradesh. This bridge will cut the travel time between the two points by four hours.

Air connectivity

Several airports the in northeast will soon be revamped with a budget of around Rs 3,400 crore. The existing airports are seeing growth in passenger traffic and the move will involve creation of a new integrated terminal building, expansion of existing buildings, runways, etc.

Of the 22 airports and helipads identified in northeast under the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) Phase-II, the first airport has become operational. The Pakyong Airport in Sikkim, located 30 kilometres from Gangtok, was inaugurated by PM Modi on September 24. Situated atop a hill at 4,500 feet above sea level, the airport spans over an area of 200 acres, and has a 1.75-km long runway. It is developed at a cost of Rs. 605 crore, in a period of nine years. Commercial flights will be operational from October 4 here.

Last Updated: Wed Dec 26 2018

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