Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari has announced a Rs 61,500 crore highway corridor linking Siliguri in West Bengal with Guwahati in Assam and Shillong in Meghalaya. The proposed 630-km project, along with a separate expressway connecting Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh with Siliguri, aims to improve road connectivity between Uttar Pradesh and the North East, a TOI report stated. The corridor will combine new highway construction with upgrades to existing roads. The government expects the projects to reduce travel distances and journey times while improving access to the strategically important region around the Siliguri corridor, commonly known as the Chicken's Neck. Gadkari made the announcement at an event on Monday, outlining the proposed highway's sections and other road infrastructure projects planned in Assam.
