Connecting the North East: A New Era of Development

The Central Government has made significant progress in infrastructure development across the North East Region (NER), completing 16,207 km of National Highways and sanctioning ₹69,342 crore for 12 railway projects, which include eight new lines and four doubling works covering a total of 777 km.

As of March 2025, 278 km of railway lines are operational, with ₹41,676 crore already expended, Minister of State Sukanta Majumdar informed Parliament.

Under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), 17,637 road projects (totalling 89,436 km) and 2,398 bridges were approved in the region. Of these, 16,469 road works (80,933 km) and 2,108 bridges have been completed, significantly improving last-mile connectivity.

In the digital infrastructure space, 6,355 Gram Panchayats have been made service-ready under BharatNet, and 3,297 mobile towers have been installed to enhance mobile and internet connectivity.

The UDAN scheme has also advanced regional air connectivity, with 90 new air routes operationalised, connecting 12 airports and heliports across the NER.

Furthermore, the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MDoNER) is supporting all eight northeastern states under five Central Sector Schemes, focused on infrastructure, connectivity, and communications.

These multi-sector investments are aimed at accelerating economic development, enhancing regional accessibility, and fostering greater integration of the Northeast with the national economy.

News by Rahul Yelligetti.