Guwahati: The Government of Assam is in consultation with the Union Ministry of Highways, Road Transport and Shipping to draw up a roadmap for construction of an international highway connecting India with Bhutan through Bodoland Territorial Autonomous Districts (BTAD).
Two rounds of talks have been held between GoA officials and the Union Ministry for strengthening road connectivity between the two nations.
Revealing this in a meeting held on Wednesday at Bharola river front in Udalguri under BTAD, Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said the proposed highway would improve trade and commerce between the two nations.
The chief minister said this while laying the foundation stone for a RCC Bridge over Bharola River on Tamulpur-Udalguri Road under Udalguri LAC.
The bridge is part of a road project ‘Improvement and up-gradation of Road section of Tamulpur to Paneri and Paneri to Udalguri in Assam under North Eastern States Road Investment Project (NESRIP)’.
Central Government has accorded Administrative Approval for an amount of Rs. 319.29 Cr towards execution of the Trance-II Project. He said the Prime Minister lays utmost importance in improving surface communication in the State for ushering development in the region.
Union Ministry of Highways has also approved projects worth Rs 1 lac crore for reinforcing road connectivity in the State in a meeting held recently in New Delhi, the Chief Minister added.
Stating that the state government will soon take up construction works of six bridges in Udalguri LAC, the chief minister said already Rs 2 crore has been released by the government for repairing of roads in each LAC area. He further informed the gathering that the State Cabinet has recently approved Mukhyamantir Path Nirman Achoni under which Rs. 2,000 cr. will be released to the districts within March 31, 2017.
The Chief Minister lauded the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) Chief Hagrama Mahilary for his leadership in ushering overall development and peace in the region and stated that the Government of Assam will soon set up Skill Development Centre in the BTC for harnessing the rich potential of the youth.
He reiterated his government’s commitment to provide home to every homeless of the BTAD under Prime Minister’s Awas Yojana.
BTC Chief Hagrama Mohilary, State PHE Minister Rihon Daimary, MPs Ramen Deka and Biswajit Daimary were also present in the meeting.
The CM laid the foundation stone of Suklai River Bridge and Kala-Nanoi River Bridge under Paneri LAC on Tamulpur-Paneri Road and Bornadi River Bridge under Tamulpur LAC on Wednesday as part of the NESRIP Trance-II Project.
On the sidelines of the foundation stone laying ceremony at Suklai and Kala-Nanoi River Bridge, Mr Sonowal visited the Barangajuli Srimanta Sankardev Satra and interacted with the Satradhikar. (UNI)
