PM Modi to Lay Rs 22,000 Crore Cachar-Assam Expressway in March: Assam CM

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit the state on March 14 to lay the foundation for a massive infrastructural project connecting the Barak Valley to Guwahati, drastically reducing the travel time.

The Chief Minister addressed a public gathering at Natanpur, where Union Home Minister Amit Shah officially launched the Vibrant Village Programme-II (VVP-II). Speaking there he said, “Today our Home Minister Amit Shah has visited the India-Bangladesh border. In Natanpur, a village that I never visited in 25 years of political career, the Home Minister has come. This is historic and a matter of pride that he has come to Barak Valley and our own village.”

Biggest Gift Ever

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi will come to Barak Valley on March 14. Why? To give Barak Valley and its people the biggest gift ever. A new expressway, from here to Guwahati, at an investment of Rs 22,000 crore. This will reduce the travel time to only 4.5 hours,” Sarma announced.

He informed that the Vibrant Village Programme will bring all-round development and connectivity to 11 bordering villages in Cachar, 21 in Sribhumi, 28 in Dhubri and one in South Salmara-Mankachar districts. The initiative will also encompass six villages in Kokrajhar, five in Chirang, 12 in Baksa, seven in Tamulpur and 45 villages in the Udalguri district.

“Under this, our border villages will get electricity, mobile connectivity, pacca roads, drinking water…whatever you want, we will give everything. That is why the Home Minister is here. Rs 6,000 crore will be spent across India. In Assam, through state and central government initiatives, we will give good roads, hospitals, mobile ambulances, mobile connection, good schools, everything,” Sarma said.

Vibrant Village Infrastructure Push

He added, “We want our people not to move away from the border villages. Residents are moving away from the borders and towards the cities, and infiltrators are taking over the lands there. A few days ago, I removed some illegal land grabbers from 1.5 lakh bighas of land. If you give your vote to the BJP, we will clear five lakh bighas of land from illegal encroachment.”

The Assam Chief Minister said that with the help of the people, these infiltrators will be thrown out of India. He also urged the people to take a pledge not to sell their lands to illegal immigrants and move out of border regions. “This is the purpose of the Vibrant Village Programme; we will give all facilities. Just don’t leave the border areas. We want our people on our lands, not illegal immigrants,” he said.

Also Read: Amit Shah Launches Vibrant Village Programme, Pledges Flood, Infiltration-Free Assam in 5 Years