The central government has greenlit an ambitious infrastructure project to construct a four-lane access-controlled high-speed corridor connecting Siliguri in West Bengal to Guwahati in Assam via Jorabat, marking a significant step toward revolutionizing connectivity between mainland India and the Northeast region.
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has assigned the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (NHIDCL) to prepare a comprehensive detailed project report (DPR) for the proposed 400-kilometer expressway, which forms a crucial component of the government’s strategic focus on upgrading transportation links to the landlocked Northeast states.
Strategic Importance of the Chicken’s Neck Corridor
The proposed high-speed corridor addresses a critical infrastructure gap in the strategically vital Siliguri Corridor, commonly known as the “Chicken’s Neck” – the narrow 22-kilometer stretch in North Bengal that serves as the sole road communication link between the Northeast and mainland India. This geographical bottleneck has long been identified as a vulnerability in India’s connectivity infrastructure.
NHIDCL sources revealed that the Siliguri-Guwahati corridor represents the initial phase of a broader vision for a high-speed expressway extending from Siliguri to Pasighat in Arunachal Pradesh, potentially transforming transportation across the entire Northeast region.
Technical Specifications and Route Planning
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has indicated a preference for constructing the high-speed corridor along the north bank of the Brahmaputra River. However, the final alignment will be determined based on the comprehensive DPR currently under preparation.
NHIDCL has officially invited bids for consultancy services to develop the detailed project report, with the scope encompassing:
- Construction of a 4-lane access-controlled expressway
- Integration with existing highway networks
- Environmental and feasibility assessments
- Cost-benefit analysis and financial modeling
A key question remains whether the proposed corridor will integrate with the existing East-West corridor that passes through Guwahati or constitute an entirely new greenfield project. This determination will be made following completion of the DPR analysis.
