PM Modi launches Rs 23,550 Cr projects in Barak Valley; warns against Congress

Silchar, Mar 14: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Saturday, unveiled development projects worth Rs 23,550 crore in Assam’s Silchar, including the foundation stone for a major high-speed expressway linking Silchar and Umiam, while urging people to remain vigilant against the Congress.

Addressing a large gathering at Ambikapur on the outskirts of Silchar, Modi said the region has entered a new phase of growth under the BJP’s “double-engine sarkar”, asserting that improved connectivity and infrastructure would transform the valley into a key economic hub of the Northeast.

During the visit, the Prime Minister performed bhoomi pujan for the Rs 22,864-crore Umiam–Silchar access-controlled expressway, the first greenfield high-speed corridor of its kind in the region.

The 166-km four-lane project is expected to significantly strengthen connectivity between Assam and Meghalaya.

Once completed, the corridor will reduce the distance between Guwahati and Silchar from around 295 km to about 252 km and cut travel time from nearly 8.5 hours to around 5 hours, boosting trade and transport across the Northeast.

Greeting the people of the “beloved Barak Valley”, Modi described Silchar as the gateway to the valley and highlighted its cultural diversity where Bengali, Assamese and various tribal traditions coexist.

“Silchar is known as the gateway of the Barak Valley. It is a place where history, language and culture come together to create a unique identity,” he said, adding that the valley’s fertile plains, tea gardens and strategic trade routes have historically made it an important economic corridor.

The Prime Minister said the region’s location connects the Northeast with West Bengal and neighbouring countries such as Bangladesh and Myanmar, which could open new avenues for logistics, trade and employment for young people.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the express corridor would transform travel between Guwahati and Silchar, noting that the project was initiated after the Prime Minister learned about difficulties faced by commuters travelling through the hilly Haflong route.

Apart from the expressway, Modi laid the foundation stone for a Rs 565-crore elevated corridor on NH-306 in Silchar.

The road, stretching from Trunk Road near Capital Point to Rangirkhari Point, is expected to ease traffic congestion on one of the town’s busiest routes and improve connectivity with neighbouring states including Mizoram, Tripura and Manipur.

The Prime Minister also launched the foundation stone for a Rs 122-crore College of Agriculture at Patharkandi in Karimganj district to strengthen agricultural education and research in the region.

Highlighting infrastructure progress in the state, Modi said around 2,500 km of railway lines in Assam have already been electrified, improving rail connectivity and efficiency.

Modi also emphasised that improved connectivity would benefit major institutions in Silchar such as Silchar Medical College and Hospital, the National Institute of Technology Silchar and Assam University by easing traffic congestion and improving access for students and residents.

He further highlighted the benefits of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme, stating that farmers in Assam have received more than Rs 20,000 crore directly in their bank accounts over the past decade.

Launching a political attack on the Congress, the Prime Minister alleged that the party had neglected the Northeast for decades and kept the region distant from India’s development narrative.

“Today the Northeast has become a key pillar of India’s Act East policy and a bridge to Southeast Asia,” Modi said.

“After Independence, policies were framed in a way that weakened Barak Valley’s traditional trade links with the sea. A region that once served as an important economic corridor lost its potential. Today, we are working to restore that strength through modern infrastructure,” Modi added, expressing confidence that the Barak Valley would soon emerge as a major centre of growth in the region.