Context:

• The Union Cabinet approved the development of a 166.80 km long Greenfield High-Speed Corridor from Mawlingkhung (Meghalaya) to Panchgram (Assam) on 30th April 2025, with a total cost of ₹22,864 crore.
• The project will be developed under the Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM) and aims to enhance connectivity, economic growth, and tourism in Northeast India.

Key Points of the Project:

• Length and Route: The four-lane Greenfield access-controlled high-speed corridor will extend from Mawlingkhung (near Shillong) to Panchgram (near Silchar).
• State-wise Distribution: Out of the total 166.80 km, 144.80 km will be in Meghalaya and 22.00 km in Assam.
• National Highway: The corridor will be part of National Highway 06 (NH-6).
• Construction Mode: It will be constructed under the Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM), a public-private partnership model.

Benefits of the Project:

• Improved Traffic: The travel distance and time between Guwahati and Silchar will be reduced, improving traffic service levels.
• Regional Connectivity: Connectivity between Tripura, Mizoram, Manipur, and the Barak Valley region of Assam will improve, enhancing logistics efficiency and reducing transportation costs.
• Industrial Development: The corridor will support industrial development in Meghalaya’s cement and coal production areas.
• Boosting Tourism: It will improve access to Northeast tourism destinations for tourists arriving at Guwahati, Shillong, and Silchar airports.
• Decreased Traffic Congestion: Traffic congestion on the existing NH-06 will be reduced, and the corridor will integrate with major highways like NH-27, NH-106, NH-206, and NH-37.
• Socio-Economic Growth: The project will promote infrastructure, job creation, and socio-economic development in five Northeast states: Meghalaya, Assam, Manipur, Mizoram, and Tripura.

Greenfield Corridor:

• The development of infrastructure in areas that have not previously been developed is called a Greenfield Corridor.
• Greenfield corridor projects, especially under the National Industrial Corridor Development Program (NICDP), are crucial for promoting economic growth and balanced regional development in India.

Infrastructure Development in India:

• Public infrastructure is the backbone of economic development, enhancing connectivity, trade, and overall quality of life.
• India, the world's fifth-largest economy, has made significant progress in infrastructure development over the past decade.
• India’s total infrastructure expenditure has rapidly increased, with the 2023-24 budget allocation reaching ₹10 lakh crore.

PM Gati Shakti:

• Launch Year: 2021
• Objective: To integrate various ministries and departments to ensure coordinated planning and efficient execution of infrastructure projects.

Key Features:

• Ministries Coordination: A total of 44 central ministries and 36 states/UTs are involved in this initiative.
• Digital Integration: As of October 2024, 1,614 data layers have been integrated into the platform.
• Improvement in Logistics Performance: India’s Logistics Performance Index (LPI) rank improved from 44th in 2018 to 38th in 2023 among 139 countries.
• National Logistics Policy: Launched in September 2022 as a complement to PM Gati Shakti, with 26 states notifying their state-level logistics policies.

Highways and Road Network:

• India has the second-largest road network in the world, with a total length of 1,46,145 km of national highways.
• The government has undertaken multiple initiatives like the Bharatmala project to expand and strengthen the national highway network, including the National Highway Development Project (NHDP) and the Special Accelerated Road Development Programme (SARDP-NE) for the Northeast.
• India’s national highway network grew from 65,569 km in 2004 to 91,287 km in 2014, and is expected to reach 1,46,145 km by 2024.
• The length of four-lane or more national highway sections increased 2.6 times from 18,371 km in 2014 to 48,422 km in 2024.
• The speed of national highway construction increased from 12.1 km/day in 2014-15 to 33.8 km/day in 2023-24.

Bharatmala Project:

• Launched in 2017, the Bharatmala project envisages the development of approximately 26,000 km of economic corridors, which will help carry most of the cargo on roads in conjunction with the Golden Quadrilateral (GQ) and North-South-East-West (NS-EW) corridors.
• By November 2024, a total of 18,926 km of roads under the project will be completed.

Civil Aviation:

• Third Largest Domestic Aviation Market: Due to growing demand and government policies.
• Number of Airports: Increased from 74 in 2014 to 157 by September 2024.
• Women Pilots: Over 15% of pilots in India are women, well above the global average of 5%.
• Record Passenger Traffic: On 17th November 2024, domestic air passenger traffic surpassed 5 lakh passengers in a single day for the first time.
• Flying Training Organizations (FTOs): Increased from 29 in June 2016 to 38 (across 57 locations) by December 2024.
• Number of Aircraft: Increased from around 400 in 2014 to 723 in 2023, despite the impact of COVID-19.

Regional Connectivity Scheme (UDAN):

• Launch Year: 2016
• Achievements by 31st December 2024:

• • Passengers benefited: 147.53 lakh
  • Number of flights: 2.93 lakh+
  • Operated routes: 619 RCS routes
  • Connected locations: 88 airports, 13 heliports, 2 water aerodromes

Shipping and Ports Sector in India: Major Achievements (2014-2024):

• Cargo Handling Capacity: Increased from 800.5 million tons/year in 2014 to 1,630 million tons/year in 2024 (87% increase).
• International Shipment Ranking: Improved from 44th in 2014 to 22nd now.
• Turnaround Time (TRT): Reduced from 94 hours in 2013-14 to 48.06 hours in 2023-24.
• Average Berth-Day Output: Improved by 52% compared to 2014-15.
• Marine Tourism: 3.08 lakh cruise tourists and 12.3 lakh lighthouse tourists in 2022-23.