(a) whether the Government is satisfied with the connectivity of the North-Eastern Region (NER) with the rest of the country through road, rail and airways;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) if not, whether the Government proposes to increase connectivity of the region and if so, the details thereof and the steps taken in this regard;
(d) whether the Government has proposed Public Private Partnership (PPP) for the development of the NER; and
(e) if so, the details thereof?
The Minister of State (Independent Charge) in the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region DR. JITENDRA SINGH
(a), (b) & (c) Improvement of connectivity of the North Eastern Region (NER) with the rest of the country is a continuous process. To improve road connectivity, development of the East - West Corridor from Silchar in Assam to Porbandar in Gujarat to a 4-lane road has been taken up under National Highways Development Project (NHDP). The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has formulated the Special Accelerated Road Development Programme for North-East (SARDP-NE), for upgradation of 10141 km road stretches of National Highways and State Roads in the year 2005-06. Out of 10141 km of roads included under SARDP-NE, 6418 km has been approved by the Government for implementation under Phase ‘A’ and the Arunachal Pradesh Package of Roads and Highways and balance 3723 km has been approved only for preparation of DPR under Phase ‘B’ of SARDP-NE. For development of roads in the North Eastern Region, the Union Budget 2014-15 has allocated Rs.200 crore for the N.E. Roads Corporation. In order to expedite road construction, Ministry of Road Transport & Highways has set up a company named as “National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation limited” (NHIDCL) for construction/upgradation/ widening of National Highways in the region.
In case of railways, 11 National Projects have been taken up. Rail connectivity projects to State Capitals of Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh are under various stages of implementation. Gauge conversion work in New Jalpaiguri - Siliguri - New Bongaigaon project is under implementation.
The Government has fast-tracked the development of greenfield airports at Pakyong in Sikkim and Holongi in Arunachal Pradesh. Upgradation of Guwahati Airport as Inter-Regional Hub with connectivity to all major airports of the country and upgradation of Agartala, Dibrugarh and Imphal as Intra- Regional Hubs with connectivity to all the State capitals in the region have been taken up. Further, to connect remote areas in the region, non-operational airports viz Along, Daparizo, Pasighat, Tezu and Ziro in Arunachal Pradesh, Rupsi in Assam and Kailashahar in Tripura have been taken up for development and operationalisation. To augment existing air connectivity to the region and to connect unconnected or inadequately connected airports of Shillong, Lilabari, Tezpur and Silchar with Kolkata viability gap funding to Alliance Air Ltd. has been provided.
(d) & (e) Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode has been adopted on a limited scale in development of roads in the North Eastern Region. As on date, five road projects are under implementation on PPP mode by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, namely, (i) Construction bridge between Dhola and Sadia ghats alongwith 2 lane connecting roads from near about Dhola to Islampur Tinali in Assam (ii) Construction of bridges across Dibang river system and connecting road between Bomjur - Meka (NH 52) and construction of bridge across river Lohit at Alubari Ghat and connecting road between Chowkham - Digaru (12.00 km), in Arunachal Pradesh (iii) 2 laning from Nechipu to Hoj on NH-229 (iv) 2 laning from Potin to Pangin on NH-229 and (v) Jorabat - Barapani (km 0.0 to km 61.8).