By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Dec 21: The Meghalaya government on Saturday sought support from the Centre to establish a direct road link between Balurghat-Hili in West Bengal and Mahendraganj in West Garo Hills, Meghalaya.
Speaking at the 72nd Plenary Meeting of the North Eastern Council (NEC), chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Agartala, Meghalaya’s Power Minister AT Mondal underlined the significance of the project, stating that this direct connection would foster trade and commerce while reducing the travel distance from 600 kilometers to just 85 km.
Mondal highlighted the strategic importance of the project, which has the potential to greatly benefit the North Eastern region by enhancing connectivity and economic activity.
Meanwhile, Mondal expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Chief Ministers of Meghalaya and Assam for their support in expediting the Dhubri-Phulbari Bridge project. He described the bridge as a critical infrastructure development and one of the longest in India and Asia, with a total length of 19.3 kilometers.
“If the Dhubri-Phulbari Bridge and the proposed Balurghat-Hili-Mahendraganj road are completed, they will open up economic opportunities with South Asian countries,” Mondal said.
He also pointed out that these projects would help address the “chicken neck” issue, a narrow corridor in North Bengal that poses logistical challenges for the North Eastern states.
It may be mentioned that the 19-km Dhubri-Phulbari Bridge, currently under construction over the Brahmaputra river, will connect Dhubri in Assam to Phulbari in Meghalaya. Scheduled for completion by 2026–27, the bridge will fill a missing link in National Highway 127B, providing road connectivity to Tura, Nongstoin, and other towns in western and central Meghalaya.
Appeal for Pumped Storage Projects (PSPs)
Mondal also sought assistance from the Centre to harness the potential of Pumped Storage Projects (PSPs) in Meghalaya. He informed that a central agency had submitted a pre-feasibility report for PSP projects with a combined capacity of 5,000 megawatts in the state.
He urged the Centre to provide similar benefits to PSP projects as those extended to hydropower projects, such as 12% free power for the state and 1% for local development. “If this is granted, Meghalaya could become the powerhouse of the Northeastern region, supplementing the country’s power needs,” Mondal said.
Progress in power reforms
With regard to the power sector, Mondal noted that Meghalaya had reduced Aggregate Technical and Commercial (AT&C) losses from 36% to 22% and implemented measures to minimise outages.
He reaffirmed Meghalaya’s commitment to supporting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of building a USD 5 trillion Indian economy. “Meghalaya aims to achieve a USD 10 billion economy by 2028 and a USD 17 billion economy by 2032,” Mondal added.
He further stated that the state is targeting a spot among India’s top 10 states in per capita income and Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) achievements by its 60th year of statehood in 2032.
Economic growth, infra devp
Mondal highlighted Meghalaya’s substantial economic growth, citing an impressive 17.4% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) in Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) during the post-COVID years.
“Over the past four years, the state has received significant investments in roads, bridges, water supply, and urban infrastructure,” Mondal said, thanking the Ministry of DoNER for its support through NEC and NESIDS road projects.
He noted that Meghalaya is currently implementing five ongoing NESIDS projects with a total sanctioned cost of Rs 359.48 crore.
Mondal attended the NEC plenary session on behalf of Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, who was engaged in pre-budget consultations in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan.