Union cabinet approves Mawlyngkhung-Panchgram greenfield expressway
The road will reduce travel time from Mawlyngkhung near Shillong in Meghalaya to Panchgram near Silchar in Assam from eight hours and 30 minutes to five hours
The union cabinet, under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday granted the approval for a 166.80 km greenfield expressway (national high-speed corridor) along National Highway-6 connecting Mawlyngkhung near Shillong in Meghalaya to Panchgram near Silchar in Assam.
The entire stretch will comprise 34 viaducts, 19 major bridges, and 153 minor bridges. This expressway will not only improve connectivity between these two states but also between the rest of the country and the northeastern states of Meghalaya, Tripura, Mizoram, and Manipur. The project is poised to become the shortest and fastest freight route for trucks and heavy vehicles bound for Silchar and further east.
The corridor will also spur economic development, including development of industries in Meghalaya, as it passes through cement and coal production areas of Meghalaya, a government release said. “This corridor will cater to the national and international tourists coming from well-connected Guwahati Airport, Shillong Airport, Silchar Airport (via existing NH-06) connecting Guwahati to Silchar. This would connect scenic places of tourist attraction in the North-East and promote tourism.”
The construction will be executed under the Hybrid Annuity Model (HAM) with a total capital outlay of ₹22,864 crore.
Taking to X, union road transport and highway minister Nitin Garkari said this expressway will link five PM Gati Shakti economic nodes, significantly enhancing regional economic integration.
Once completed, the road will reduce journey time from eight hours and 30 minutes to just five hours. The travel distance between Guwahati and Silchar will shrink to 245 kilometres—an approximate reduction of 25%—while average vehicular speeds are expected to double, he added.
Separately, the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) on Wednesday also announced the signing of the concession agreement (under Build Operate Transfer (Toll) or BOT mode) for the previously cancelled 88.40 km Agra–Gwalior greenfield expressway planned under engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) mode.
The NHAI, in a statement, said the concession period of the contract is 20 years, including a construction period of 30 months. "The authority will provide construction support of Rs. 820 Crores to the Concessionaire during the construction period, which will be linked to the project progress. Overlay/strengthening, road safety and improvement measures for the existing National Highway on NH-44 have also been included in the Agra-Gwalior project agreement," the statement further said.
The new expressway will pass through Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh, providing high-speed connectivity between Agra and Gwalior and also decongest various cities and industrial areas on the existing Agra-Gwalior Section of NH-44.
