Daijiworld Media Network - Silchar
Silchar, Mar 14: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that Assam’s Barak Valley is set to play a key role in strengthening India’s connectivity with Southeast Asia, while accusing the Indian National Congress of ignoring the region’s development for decades after Independence.
Addressing a public rally in Silchar, the Prime Minister said Barak Valley had historically been an important centre for trade but lost much of its strategic advantage due to decisions taken in the years following Independence.
He claimed that the boundaries drawn during the Congress era cut the region off from vital sea routes, weakening its economic potential. According to him, these decisions significantly reduced the region’s trade opportunities and long-term growth prospects.
Modi alleged that despite being in power both at the Centre and in the state for many years, the Congress did little to bring meaningful development to Barak Valley. He said the present “double-engine government” is committed to transforming the region and ensuring faster progress.
Highlighting major infrastructure initiatives, the Prime Minister referred to the foundation stone laid for the proposed Silchar–Shillong high-speed corridor. The project, with an estimated investment of over Rs 24,000 crore, is expected to become the first access-controlled high-speed expressway in the Northeast.
He said the expressway would significantly improve regional connectivity and help accelerate development across the northeastern states.
The corridor, he added, will strengthen links between Assam and neighbouring states such as Mizoram, Tripura and Manipur, which could boost trade, tourism and overall economic activity in the region.
With better connectivity, Modi said, Barak Valley has the potential to emerge as an important hub linking India with Southeast Asian nations. He added that improved transport networks could open new opportunities for tourism and business for local residents.
The Prime Minister also underlined the Centre’s efforts to strengthen railway infrastructure in the Northeast. He said that more than 2,500 kilometres of railway lines in the region have already been electrified under the current government.
He further noted that railway lines in Barak Valley are also set to be electrified, a move expected to enhance connectivity and support economic growth in the region.