Proposed Kolkata-Northeast Route to Bypass Bangladesh via Sea Corridor

In a major development, the proposed highway connecting Shillong in Meghalaya to Silchar in Assam is set to become an extension of a crucial multi-modal transport project in Myanmar. According to an official from the National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL), this road project will also create an alternative sea route linking the North-East states to Kolkata, as reported by The Indian Express.

Of the total 166.8-km project, 144.8 km lies in Meghalaya while Assam will get 22 km in its share. | News18

This initiative is viewed as a response to comments made by Bangladesh's interim government chief adviser Muhammad Yunus in Beijing this March. Yunus described North-East India as “landlocked” and stated that Dhaka is the “only guardian of the ocean for the entire region,” remarks he made while advocating for an expansion of China’s economic influence.

Shortly afterward, on April 4, Yunus met Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok. The Ministry of External Affairs noted that PM Modi advised Yunus to avoid language that could inflame tensions.

The proposed highway, a four-lane corridor spanning 166.8 km along NH-6 from Mawlyngkhung near Shillong to Panchgram near Silchar, is being developed by NHIDCL under the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH). This will be the North-East’s first high-speed corridor, with an anticipated completion date of 2030.

Meanwhile, the Kaladan Multi Modal Transit Transport Project in Myanmar, funded by the Ministry of External Affairs, connects the Kolkata seaport to Sittwe port on the Kaladan River in Myanmar’s Rakhine state. From Sittwe, the route continues via inland waterway to Paletwa and then by road to Zorinpui in Mizoram.

Currently, the only land connection between India’s seven North-East states and the rest of the country is the narrow Siliguri Corridor, commonly known as the ‘Chicken’s Neck.’ The other two access points are through Bangladesh and Myanmar.

However, Bangladesh has restricted Bay of Bengal access while controlling movement through regional waterways. Consequently, the Kaladan project was jointly identified by India and Myanmar as an alternative route, expected to be fully operational by the time the Shillong-Silchar highway is completed.

Construction of the Shillong-Silchar highway will require significant engineering efforts, including slope stabilization to prevent landslides, as the road passes through challenging hilly terrain.

On April 30, the central government approved the project with a budget of Rs 22,864 crore. Of the total 166.8 km, 144.8 km will be in Meghalaya, while Assam’s share will be 22 km. Once completed, the highway is expected to cut travel time from 8.5 hours to just 5 hours.

(Sources: Money Control, News18)