NEW DELHI, May 7 � The Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure (CCI) has cleared the four laning of Jorabat-Barapani (Shillong) section of National Highway 40 in Assam and Meghalaya, under the Special Accelerated Road Development Programme � NE (SARDP-NE).
Held under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister, Dr Man Mohan Singh, the CCI meeting was attended by Minister for DoNER, Bijoy Krishna Handique.
The CCI, sanctioned the four laning of 61.80 km at an estimated cost of Rs 707.30 crore, including� �the costs of land acquisition, rehabilitation and resettlement. The Public Private Partnership Appraisal Committee (PPPAC) has accorded approval to the four laning of NH 40 on BOT (annuity) basis on Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer (BOT-DBOFT) mode. The project would be completed within three years.
The total land to be acquired for the same is 193.50 hectare, out of which 182 hectare lie in Meghalaya and 11.5 hectare lie in Assam, official sources told newsmen.
An amount of Rs149.12 crore has been sanctioned for the portion of 182 hectares in Meghalaya. This amount, which has already been deposited with the Collector, Nongpoh for disbursement to the beneficiaries. In Assam, the land acquisition is being done under NH Act.
The development of four laning of NH 40 will thus provide the vital capital connectivity link in the Northeastern region connecting Guwahati city with Shillong.
The proposal for four laning was earlier approved in principle by the Union Cabinet in September 2005. Subsequently, in November 2006 the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved the change of mode of funding.
