Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stones for two major infrastructure projects in Assam in January—a 32-km elevated corridor through Kaziranga National Park and the new Kokrajhar–Gelephu railway line, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced on Sunday.
Sarma said the elevated corridor is part of the Kaliabor–Numaligarh stretch, with the broader project covering 85.675 km at an estimated cost of Rs 6,957 crore. The proposal has already received approval from the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs and is currently in the tendering phase.
He also highlighted the strategic importance of the proposed 69-km Kokrajhar–Gelephu railway line, noting that it will mark the first-ever rail connectivity between India and Bhutan.
Speaking at a function marking the inauguration of the new integrated terminal at Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport, the Chief Minister said a 60-acre aero hub is planned near the airport. The proposed hub will include hotels, a convention centre, and pilot training and simulation facilities.
In a post on X, Sarma termed the inauguration of the integrated terminal a “historic day for Guwahati and the Northeast,” stating that the new facility would strengthen Assam’s role as a key driver of India’s Act East vision.
The Chief Minister added that the Prime Minister is likely to visit Assam again in February to inaugurate the Guwahati–North Guwahati bridge and lay the foundation stone for the greenfield airport at Dolu in Cachar.
Referring to future aviation plans, Sarma said the Ministry of Civil Aviation is considering an additional terminal at the Guwahati airport by 2032. However, he expressed the view that, given the pace of development in the state, the need for expansion could arise as early as 2028.
