Meghalaya Starts Land Acquisition for ₹23,000 Crore Shillong-Silchar High-Speed Corridor.

The Meghalaya government has officially started the land acquisition process for a major new high-speed corridor, a move set to transform connectivity between Shillong and Silchar in lower Assam. The project, valued at ₹22,864 crore, will be a greenfield four-lane highway, with the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) overseeing its construction.

The high-speed corridor will stretch 166.80 km, beginning at Mawlyngkhung near Shillong and concluding at Panchgram near Silchar. Of this total length, 144.80 km will be in Meghalaya and the remaining 22 km in Assam. The Meghalaya section of the highway will pass through the Ri-Bhoi district.

In a recent notification, Ri-Bhoi Deputy Commissioner Abhilash Baranwal instructed villagers in the designated area to halt any new construction or development activities. The notice warned that any unauthorized structures built after the notification would not be eligible for compensation during the land acquisition phase.

The government has identified 17 villages for land acquisition in the initial phase, including Pyllun, Umeit, Umroi Labansaro, Nongrah, Nonglakhia, Wahmyntait, and Lumsohphoh. This ambitious project is expected to significantly boost regional connectivity and spur economic growth.