166-km greenfield corridor expected to cut travel time significantly
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday unveiled development projects worth ₹23,550 crore in Silchar in Assam, including the foundation stone for a major expressway connecting Silchar to Shillong in Meghalaya. The Prime Minister also criticised the Indian National Congress, accusing it of neglecting the Northeast and creating panic among people during global tensions.
Addressing a public gathering in Silchar, Modi said the Central government was working to minimise the impact of ongoing global conflicts on Indian citizens, while alleging that the Congress had failed to act as a responsible political party.
“As the world is facing wars, our effort is to minimise their impact on the people of the country. The Congress should have performed the role of a responsible political party, but it failed to do so and is trying to create panic among the people,” he said.
#WATCH | Silchar, Assam: PM Narendra Modi says, “Nowadays, conditions of war prevail all around the world. Our government is making every possible effort to ensure that the citizens of our country face the fewest hardships possible. Our objective is to minimise the impact of this… pic.twitter.com/gQlE3iivDF
— ANI (@ANI) March 14, 2026
Silchar–Shillong expressway project
The Prime Minister performed the bhoomi poojan for the ₹22,864-crore Silchar–Shillong access-controlled expressway, the first high-speed corridor of its kind in the Northeast.
The 166-km four-lane greenfield corridor is expected to significantly improve connectivity in the region. According to officials, the project will reduce the distance between Guwahati and Silchar from 295 km to 252 km and cut travel time from around 8.5 hours to nearly five hours.
The expressway is expected to boost trade, tourism, and economic activity across Assam and neighbouring states.
Modi targets Congress over Northeast development
During his speech, Modi alleged that the Congress had historically ignored the Northeast and weakened the Barak Valley region.
He claimed that during Independence, the drawing of international borders left the region cut off from direct access to the sea, affecting its economic potential.
“Just as Congress left the Northeast on its own, it also weakened Barak Valley. When India became independent, the way borders were drawn cut off the region’s access to the sea,” he said.
‘Assam now an ocean of opportunities’
The Prime Minister further alleged that the Congress had once misguided youths in Assam towards violence and terrorism, while the current government had created opportunities for growth and development.
“Where Congress stops thinking, we start working,” Modi said, adding that the Bharatiya Janata Party government prioritises development for regions that were historically left behind.
He said the government’s focus on infrastructure, connectivity, and economic development had helped transform Assam into what he described as an “ocean of opportunities”.
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