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**Shillong:** Deputy Chief Minister of Meghalaya Prestone Tynsong, who holds the charge of Public Works Department (Roads & Buildings), has spotlighted the upcoming Greenfield High-Speed Corridor as a transformative “economic corridor” that promises to revolutionise connectivity, accelerate industrial growth, and establish Meghalaya as a key transit hub in India’s North-East region.

The ambitious project involves the construction of a 166.8-kilometre, 4-lane access-controlled Greenfield highway (NH-6) stretching from Mawlyngkhung near Shillong/Umiam in Meghalaya to Panchgram near Silchar in Assam. Of the total length, 144.8 km will pass through Meghalaya while the remaining 22 km will be in Assam. The project carries a total capital cost of ₹22,864 crore, including ₹12,087 crore for civil works and ₹3,503 crore for land acquisition. It will be executed under the Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM).

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved the project on April 30, 2025. The corridor will traverse key districts in Meghalaya — Ri Bhoi, East Khasi Hills, West Jaintia Hills, and East Jaintia Hills — before entering Cachar district in Assam. It is designed to seamlessly connect with major national highways such as NH-27 and NH-106, while also improving access to airports in Guwahati, Shillong, and Silchar.

Speaking about the project, Tynsong emphasised its potential to boost logistics efficiency, particularly for industries in cement and coal-rich areas of Meghalaya. The corridor is expected to significantly cut travel time between Guwahati, Shillong, Silchar, and beyond, easing chronic congestion on the existing NH-06. It will further enhance connectivity to neighbouring states including Tripura, Mizoram, Manipur, and the Barak Valley, while promoting tourism to the scenic landscapes of the North-East.

Officials project that the project will generate substantial employment opportunities, creating around 74 lakh direct and 93 lakh indirect man-days during construction and operation phases. The initiative aligns with the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan, aiming to integrate multi-modal infrastructure for faster regional development.

As of late April 2026, survey work is advancing steadily with alignment finalisation nearing completion. Land acquisition has been largely finalised in districts like Ri Bhoi, with ongoing discussions in other areas. Tenders for various packages have already been floated. While challenges such as difficult terrain and weather conditions in the East Jaintia Hills persist, Tynsong has expressed strong confidence in the project’s timely progress.

This Greenfield corridor is being hailed as one of the most significant national infrastructure initiatives in the North-East, poised to unlock immense economic potential for Meghalaya and the region at large. Further updates on tender awards and the start of physical construction are expected in the coming months from official sources including the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and the Meghalaya government.