Meghalaya to account for 85% land as Umiam–Silchar express highway moves closer to execution

Nearly 85 per cent of the land required for the proposed Barapani (Umiam)–Silchar express highway will fall in Meghalaya, with the remaining 15 per cent located in Assam, Chief Secretary Ravi Kota said on January 1, 2026, underlining Meghalaya’s central role in the high-value infrastructure project.

Land acquisition has already begun in Assam, while the process in Meghalaya will be carried out under Hill Council provisions, he said.

Planning for the project has been completed by the National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL), and environmental clearance is expected within the next four to five weeks.

Preparations are also underway to float tenders before February 28. The express highway is expected to be completed within 48 months from the start of construction.

The project has received prior approval from the Union Cabinet, which cleared the development of a high-speed corridor between Shillong and Silchar at an estimated cost of Rs 22,864 crore. The decision was taken by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and announced by Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.

The 166.80-km, four-lane, access-controlled greenfield highway will be developed under the Hybrid Annuity Mode. The stretch will run from Mawlyngkhung near Shillong in Meghalaya to Panchgram near Silchar in Assam, with 144.80 km passing through Meghalaya and 22 km through Assam. The corridor forms part of National Highway-06.

Designed to ease congestion and improve traffic flow between Guwahati and Silchar, the new highway is also expected to strengthen connectivity to Tripura, Mizoram, Manipur and the Barak Valley. Officials said the project would significantly reduce travel time and distance, improving logistics efficiency across the Northeast.

The alignment passes through Ri-Bhoi, East Khasi Hills, West Jaintia Hills and East Jaintia Hills districts in Meghalaya, and Cachar district in Assam. It is expected to decongest the existing NH-06, which currently carries heavy inter-city traffic.

The corridor will integrate with major national highways including NH-27, NH-106, NH-206 and NH-37, improving access to urban and industrial centres such as Guwahati, Shillong and Silchar. The project is also expected to support tourism and local industries, particularly in cement and coal-producing areas of Meghalaya.

Once operational, the Shillong–Silchar express highway is projected to play a key role in regional economic growth, trade and mobility, in line with the government’s PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan and its broader infrastructure-led development push in the Northeast.