Silchar elevated corridor gets green signal, Rs 564.50-Cr flyover to ease congestion

Silchar, Nov 22: State Minister Kaushik Rai on Wednesday said the elevated corridor project represents a turning point in sustainable urban mobility, one that aims to ease crippling congestion without compromising the city's historic character.

Speaking at a consultation organised by the district administration on Wednesday at Banga Bhawan, with business associations, civic groups and residents in attendance, Rai described the proposed corridor from Trunk Road to Rangirkhari as "a roadmap to a cleaner, decongested and future ready Silchar"

"It has been more than 10 years of demand. Today, under the leadership of Chief Minister Silchar is finally witnessing decisive steps to-wards resolving chronic congestion with sustainable solutions," he said.

Rai countered that Silchar's heritage landscape extends well beyond the corridor's alignment, citing the 158-year-old DC Office and the 1881-established Central Jail, now being considered for relocation. "We are committed to protecting what must be pre-served and building what the future demands," he added.

Further, with a view to minimising the damage, Rai said he has asked PWD engineers consultants and design experts to explore modifications, including single-pillar structures in sensitive zones to avoid damage to existing buildings.

He also clarified that the elevated corridor will eventually feature six landing points, including areas covering Sonai Road, Lochan Bairagi Road, Ambikapatty and Itkhola, integrated in the second phase to streamline traffic flow for thousands of daily commuters.

Alternative alignments at Dewanji Bazar, Premtala-Shillongpatty and Jail Road were examined by Design Asset, L&T, RITES and PWD, but were abandoned due to sharp curves, structural limitations and safety risks.

With a tender floated in August and Cabinet approval secured, construction for the 3.5-km flyover for which Rs 564.50 crore was sanctioned is set to begin soon with night time barricading, and the foundation stone is expected to be laid in December. The project carries a 24-month completion timeline, the Minister maintained.

Highlighting a larger regional vision, Rai spoke of rapid progress on the Madhuraghat Bridge, four-laning of Meherpur-SMCH road, the East-West Corridor expected by January 2026, and the upcoming Panchgram-Barapani expressway, all designed to boost economic and environmental resilience across Barak Valley.

Reaffirming the government's commitment, Rai said, "This project is meant for the people of Silchar who struggle daily with traffic congestion. Development must be sustainable, inclusive and beneficial for every resident."

Silchar MLA Dipayan Chakraborty urged citizens to look at the larger picture for the larger interest of society here. Earlier, Cachar District Commissioner Mridul Yadav outlined the purpose of the consultation, while Lakhipur Co-District Commissioner and CALA in-charge Dhruvajyoti Pathak explained the technical and land-related aspects of the project.