New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Assam on Saturday, with the state scheduled to witness the Assembly elections this years. He performed the Bhoomi Poojan of the Shillong-Silchar Corridor, the first access-controlled Greenfield four-lane High-Speed Corridor in North-East India.
The corridor will be 166 km long and the total investment will be of around Rs 22,860 crore. It is expected to significantly improve connectivity between Meghalaya and Assam. It will cut travel time between Guwahati and Silchar from 8.5 hours to around 5 hours, which will boost the economic growth and cross-border trade of the region. Also, PM Modi addressed a huge gathering during his visit to Assam.
PM Modi slams Congress during speech
The Prime Minister said, “Be it roads, railways, or colleges, each of these projects is poised to transform the Barak Valley into a major logistics and trade hub for the North East. Consequently, this will generate countless opportunities for employment and self-employment for the youth of this region. I extend my warmest congratulations to all of you on these various development projects.”
PM Modi attacked the Congress and said that the party had “left the North East to its own fate.” He added that after India got Independence, “the Congress permitted the drawing of the boundary in such a manner that the Barak Valley’s vital link to the sea was completely severed.”
PM Modi hails Assam govt
He added, “The Barak Valley, once renowned as a major trade route and an industrial hub-was stripped of its very strength. Even after independence, Congress governments remained in power for decades; yet, nothing substantial was done to foster the development of the Barak Valley. The BJP’s double-engine government is now transforming this situation. We are working tirelessly to re-establish the Barak Valley as a major hub for trade and commerce.”
PM Modi, during his speech, said that the BJP has prioritised “those who are lagging behind in the race of development. Congress governments used to view the border areas as the country’s last villages.” He added that the BJP “regards these border villages as the country’s first villages.” He said that hence, the next phase of the Vibrant Villages Programme, aimed at the development of border areas, was launched in the Cachar district. Also, he hailed the Assam government for granting land rights to thousands of families associated with tea gardens in the state.