Shillong: Roads in the northeast will be developed at par with the ‘developed’ states of the country, Union minister Nitin Gadkari said after announcing road infrastructure projects worth over Rs 90,000 crore across the region at the North East India Infrastructure Summit & Exhibition (NEIINFRA) 2026 at Lariti Complex in New Shillong on Monday.“We will bring the road infrastructure of the northeast equivalent to the progressive, prosperous, and developed states of India, this is our resolve and we will fulfill it,” the Union road transport and highways minister said after inaugurating the two-day summit.Gadkari announced a Rs 50,000 crore infrastructure package for Meghalaya, including major highway projects aimed at strengthening regional integration, boosting trade and improving access to border areas. He laid the foundation for four new national highways and the up-gradation of two national highways in Meghalaya, with a total investment of Rs 3,214 crore — the largest ever for the state’s road infrastructure.The summit, organised and hosted by the Govt of Meghalaya¸ with the Federation of Industry and Commerce of North East Region (FINER) alongside the Build India Foundation as the partners, features over 1,500 delegates, eight Union ministries and all eight northeastern states.Meghalaya is set for a major infrastructure overhaul with National Highway projects worth nearly Rs 39,800 crore spanning approximately 450km. Key projects include — the 4-Lane Greenfield Shillong–Silchar Corridor, 4-Lane Greenfield Jorabat–Barapani Corridor and the Darugiri–Baghmara–Dalu section of NH-217.The flagship 4-Lane Greenfield Shillong–Silchar Corridor (165km, Rs 23,000 crore) will cut travel time between the two cities by 50%, improving connectivity to Tripura, Mizoram and Manipur.The 4-Lane Greenfield Jorabat–Barapani Corridor (66 km, Rs 8,500 crore) will reduce Guwahati–Shillong travel time from 2.5 hours to one hour, forming part of a future Siliguri–Guwahati–Shillong–Silchar economic corridor.The Darugiri–Baghmara–Dalu section of NH-217 (136 km, Rs 4,000 crore) will improve connectivity in remote Garo Hills border areas adjoining Bangladesh.Meghalaya CM Conrad K Sangma said the region has moved past decades of instability into an era of widespread peace and political stability, echoing the PM’s vision that “this is the right time for the northeast”. He highlighted Meghalaya’s rapid economic transformation, saying that the state now ranks third nationwide in GDP growth over the past five years, driven by a doubled state budget, a six-fold increase in capital expenditure, and a historic Rs 50,000 crore investment in road infrastructure.Nagaland CM Neiphiu Rio highlighted that the northeast is entering a dynamic phase of transformation driven by the Act East Policy.
Union minister Nitin Gadkari inaugurates North East India Infrastructure Summit & Exhibition along with Meghalaya and Nagaland CMs Conrad Sangma and Neiphiu Rio in Shillong on Monday
