How India plans to cut out Bangladesh with new northeast corridor to Kolkata via sea

The Union Cabinet on April 30 approved the development of the greenfield high-speed corridor.

The Centre recently gave the green light to a 166.80 km greenfield high-speed corridor linking Shillong in Meghalaya to Silchar in Assam. The project will not only transform connectivity and spur economic development between the two northeastern states but is also set to act as an extension of a major multi-modal transport project in Myanmar.

Poised to become a major lifeline for the northeast, the proposed highway along NH-6 from Mawlyngkhung (Meghalaya) to Panchgram (Assam) is the first high-speed corridor project in the region.

The Shillong-Silchar highway will become an extension of the Kaladan project in Myanmar, in turn creating an alternative sea route connecting the northeastern states to Kolkata, The Indian Express reported.

There's a bigger picture to it.

The project, as described by The Indian Express quoting a senior National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) official, is a response to Bangladesh interim government chief adviser Muhammad Yunus's 'northeast is landlocked' remark. It was approved by the the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on April 30.

"Seven states of eastern India — the seven sisters — they are landlocked. They have no way to reach out to the ocean. We are the only guardian of the ocean," Yunus said in March as he visited Beijing while seeking extension of the Chinese economy.

Days after his remarks, PM Modi conveyed in clear terms to the Bangladesh chief adviser that any 'rhetoric that vitiates the environment is best avoided'.

The four-lane Shillong-Silchar highway project will be executed under the Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM), where the government funds 40% of the construction cost and the private developer covers the rest. It is being implemented by NHIDCL for the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.

The Kaladan Multi Modal Transit Transport Project is a joint initiative between India and Myanmar which connects the Kolkata seaport to the Sittwe port on the Kaladan river in Rakhine state. The Sittwe port connects to Paletwa in Myanmar through an inland waterway and to Zorinpui in Mizoram through a road section.

"The NHIDCL will take the project further from Zorinpui to Lawngtlai to Aizawl in Mizoram. This is not only the first high-speed corridor in the northeast, but the first such project in the hilly region. Shillong-Silchar is significant as Silchar is the entry point for connecting Mizoram, Tripura and Manipur as well as the Barak Valley region of Assam. Thus, it will become a major connectivity link for the entire northeast and an important milestone for developing the region as a gateway for India's Act East Policy," the NHIDCL official told The Indian Express.

According to the report, with the help of the Kaladan project, cargo will reach from Vizag and Kolkata to the northeast without being dependent on Bangladesh. "The high speed-corridor will ensure transportation of goods via road after that, which will spur economic activity in the region," the official said.

The Siliguri Corridor, also known as the 'Chicken's Neck' is currently the only direct connect to the northeastern region for the rest of the country.

While alternate access points exist via Bangladesh and Myanmar, Bangladesh has limited India's use of the Bay of Bengal and continues to control regional waterway movement. In response, India and Myanmar jointly initiated the Kaladan project as a strategic alternative route. This link is expected to be fully operational by the time the Shillong-Silchar highway is completed.

The project, approved at a cost of Rs 22,864 crore, lies in Meghalaya (144.80 km) and Assam (22 km). The development of this corridor will improve the connectivity to Tripura, Mizoram, Manipur and the Barak Valley region of Assam from mainland and Guwahati with substantially reduced travel distance and travel time.

Upon completion, the Shillong-Silchar corridor will play a crucial role in regional economic growth, improving connectivity between Guwahati, Shillong, Silchar, Imphal, Aizawl and Agartala.

“We will deploy modern technology and machinery in the construction to provide all-weather connectivity. We will have slope stabilisation to predict the landslide so the movement of traffic can be stopped. Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) scanning has been used for topographical surveys. Based on the data collected from surveys, three solutions have been proposed — strengthening by rock anchors, high strength wire mesh panels and protection walls,” the official told The Indian Express.

The project aligns with the government's vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat, enhancing infrastructure while generating employment and fostering socio-economic development in Meghalaya, Assam, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura.