The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the development-cum-construction of the four-lane Northern Guwahati Bypass and Widening-cum-Improvement of Existing Guwahati Bypass. Christened as Guwahati Ring Road project, the project will cover 121 km.
The 121-km Guwahati Ring Road will be developed in Build Operate Toll (BOT) mode at a total capital cost of ₹5,729 cr in three sections viz., four-lane Access-Controlled Northern Guwahati Bypass (56 km), widening of the existing four-lane bypass on NH 27 to six lanes (8 km), and improvement of existing bypass on NH 27 (58 km).
A major bridge over the Brahmaputra River will also be constructed as a part of the project. The bridge to be constructed under the project will connect Kuruwa in the northern part of Brahmaputra River in Darrang district and its southern connecting point will be Narengi in eastern part of State’s capital city of Guwahati.
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highway (MoRTH) has entrusted the construction of Guwahati – Ring Road project to NHAI (National Highway Authority of India), which divided the road project into three stretches after a long-drawn survey.
The Guwahati Ring Road, in particular, is expected to play a pivotal role in easing urban traffic and supporting the growth of Guwahati. The Ring Road will reduce congestion on major National Highways around Guwahati – the capital city of Assam, connecting major cities/towns in the region – Siliguri, Silchar, Shillong, Jorhat, Tezpur, Jogighopa and Barpeta. The project will give seamless connectivity to long distance traffic plying on NH–27 (East–West Corridor).
Since the proposed Ring Road project is a crucial infrastructure project for the entire Assam, the State Government has agreed to exempt the reimbursement of the State share of GST and forest royalty.
In his Independence Day address, Assam Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma said that Centre’s approval for Guwahati Ring Road projects was an important development in the current year, which he expected that once completed, would accelerate economic development of the State.
