Guwahati, February 15: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday said the Centre and the state government are jointly rolling out a series of strategic infrastructure projects across Assam to strengthen national security and improve connectivity.
"Northeast is a strategically vital region"
Addressing a press conference at Lok Sewa Bhawan, Sarma underlined that the Northeast remains a sensitive and strategically vital region. He pointed out that the region is connected to the rest of India through the narrow Siliguri Corridor, a 22-km stretch often described as the Chicken’s Neck. Any disruption there during a conflict can impact movement and supply lines, he said, adding that multiple infrastructure layers are being developed to ensure uninterrupted connectivity.
He referred to the newly operational emergency landing facility at Moran, where fighter jets and transport aircraft landed during the Prime Minister’s visit on February 14. The inauguration, in the presence of the Air Chief Marshal, sent a strong signal about India’s preparedness along the China and Myanmar frontiers, Sarma said.
Dual-use facilities for war and peace
“In modern warfare, infrastructure is the first target. If airbases are hit, alternative facilities become critical,” he said. The emergency landing facility, he added, can support fighter operations in crises and also serve civilians during disasters such as floods.
The state has sought more such dual-use facilities, especially in remote and flood-prone areas, to support both defence and disaster response.
Recalling 1962, Sarma said there was once a perception that Assam could not be defended. “We have resolved that such a situation will never arise again,” he said, stressing faster mobilisation of forces and logistics.
He also said a new Army base has come up in Dhubri to strengthen coverage in western Assam, where defence presence along the Siliguri–Hasimara–Rangiya axis was earlier limited.
Four new airports to boost tourism
On the civil aviation front, the state will soon sign an MoU with the Ministry of Civil Aviation to develop four new airports in Majuli, Diphu, Umrangso and Manas. If land is made available, these could be operational within five years, boosting tourism and regional growth.
Sarma listed several major connectivity projects approved by the Centre, including the Guwahati Ring Road, the Kuruwa–Narengi bridge, the Kaziranga corridor and the proposed Silchar–Shillong–Guwahati high-speed highway. The elevated corridor from Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport to Jalukbari is also at an advanced stage and is expected to ease city-bound traffic.
He further said the Rs 14,000 crore four-laning of the Baihata Chariali–Tezpur road is in the final stage of approval.
Work on the Kamakhya corridor is expected to begin after clearance from the Guwahati High Court. The court had directed IIT Guwahati and the National Institute of Hydrology to conduct an environmental impact study. According to Sarma, the report found no adverse effect on the ecosystem.
He said more strategic highways and logistics corridors will be announced in the coming months as part of a long-term vision to secure and transform the Northeast.
