Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday met Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari in New Delhi to take stock of key infrastructure projects currently underway in the state.
The high-level meeting focused on expediting the implementation of critical road, bridge, and highway development works considered vital to boosting connectivity and economic growth in Assam.
Taking to microblogging platform X, CM Sarma posted, “In New Delhi today, I had a fruitful meeting with Hon’ble Union Minister Shri @nitin_gadkari Ji. We reviewed the progress of Assam’s flagship infra projects and sought @MORTHIndia’s cooperation in their time-bound completion. Hon’ble Minister has assured us of the Ministry’s undivided focus on this matter.”
Over the past few years, Assam has emerged as a priority state in India’s infrastructure growth strategy, particularly in the northeastern region.
Several major road development initiatives have been undertaken under national flagship schemes. Under the Bharatmala scheme, Assam has witnessed the rollout of multiple high-speed corridors aimed at connecting industrial hubs, border areas, and remote regions with the national highway grid. Projects such as the East-West Corridor, the Dhubri-Phulbari bridge project, and the expansion of NH-27 and NH-37 corridors are expected to significantly reduce travel time, enhance regional trade, and improve last-mile connectivity.
The North East Special Infrastructure Development Scheme (NESIDS) has played a critical role in funding and executing infrastructure projects in sectors traditionally underserved in Assam, including remote hill districts, tribal belts, and flood-prone riverine zones. Several rural roads, strategic bridges, and bypasses have been constructed or upgraded under this scheme, bringing development closer to interior regions.
The Assam government has also been working closely with the central government to improve connectivity over the Brahmaputra and its tributaries through the construction of new bridges. Notable among them are the Dhola-Sadiya Bridge, the Bogibeel Bridge, and several upcoming bridges at Majuli, Gohpur, and Dhubri. These infrastructure assets are crucial to ensure uninterrupted access across regions cut off by river systems during monsoons.
The Sarma-led administration has put a strong emphasis on infrastructure as a foundation for transforming Assam into a logistics hub for Southeast Asia.
In line with the Act East Policy, Assam’s roads and expressways are also being aligned to facilitate cross-border movement of goods and people with neighbouring countries such as Bhutan, Bangladesh, and Myanmar.
In recent months, the state has also proposed several greenfield expressways, including the Guwahati–Silchar Economic Corridor and new urban mobility solutions for the city of Guwahati—such as flyovers, ring roads, and a multi-modal transport network.
The Chief Minister’s meeting with Gadkari comes at a crucial juncture, as Assam seeks to complete pending projects before the onset of the next fiscal year and upcoming Assembly elections in 2026.