NHAI to invest Rs 50,000 crore in North-East

The National Highway Authority of India would invest Rs 50,000 crore in the North-East region in the 11th Five Year Plan for increased connectivity with all state capitals.

NHAI would invest Rs 50,000 crore in the 11th Five Year Plan for augmenting capacity of high density corridors which would result in provision of improved four-lane national highway link to all state capitals, NHAI Director General S K Nirmal told reporters here today.

Nirmal, who attended the just concluded three-day seminar 'North-East India' "" a gateway to South-East Asia, organised by the Institution of Engineers, said trans-Asian highways to connect the North-East with South East Asian countries should be given priority.

He said alternative national highways to improve inter-region connectivity should be prioritised and all the district headquarters should be connected with such highways.

A team of experts who attended the seminar recommended developing connectivity between Chittagong port in Bangladesh and Haldia port in West Bengal.

The team also recommended linking railways to every capital of the region. At present, only Guwahati is connected with railways, while Tripura's capital Agartala is likely to be linked by March next year.