Silchar’s first 5-star hotel: Stakeholders welcome move with cautious optimism

Silchar, Mar 14: Days after the Assam Cabinet approved customised incentives and facilitative support for the establishment of Silchar’s first five-star hotel, the development has generated considerable interest among residents and stakeholders.

The proposed project, to be developed by Polo Hotels Group, entails an investment of approximately Rs 103 crore and will feature a 100-room luxury property equipped with modern hospitality facilities.

Apart from generating direct employment, the project is expected to create substantial indirect job opportunities across sectors such as transport, housekeeping, food supply chains, retail and other allied services.

In a statement, Polo Hotels Group said the Silchar property forms part of its broader expansion strategy across eastern and northeastern India.

Chief Executive Officer of the group, Deval Tibrewalla, described Silchar as an emerging gateway city in the Northeast and emphasised the growing need for high-quality hospitality infrastructure.

“This project is not just about building a hotel; it is about enabling the next phase of growth for Barak Valley,” Tibrewalla said, adding that the group is currently developing around ten additional properties across Meghalaya, Tripura, West Bengal and Nagaland.

Reacting to the Cabinet decision, Silchar MLA Dipayan Chakraborty termed it a milestone for the region’s economic trajectory, asserting that Barak Valley has been receiving “unprecedented attention” under the leadership of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

“This initiative will generate employment for local youths. With the government simultaneously strengthening road, rail and air connectivity, more industries and commercial establishments are expected to look towards Silchar and Barak Valley,” Chakraborty said.

Welcoming the project from a business perspective, noted entrepreneur and former chairperson of the Silchar Municipal Board, now upgraded to a municipal corporation, Tamal Kanti Banik said the establishment of a five-star hotel would significantly elevate the city’s hospitality standards and strengthen its commercial profile.

At the same time, Banik emphasised that the eventual location of the project, yet to be publicly disclosed, must be selected with careful consideration of land suitability, traffic management and urban planning requirements.

Adding to the chorus of support, Asit Dutta, former president of the Silchar Food Grains Merchant Association, described the Cabinet decision as a “major opening for further industrial growth”.

“With improved hospitality infrastructure, Silchar will be better positioned to attract high-profile commercial establishments, particularly given its role as a transit hub for neighbouring states,” he said, while also urging the government to upgrade sports infrastructure and explore the development of an alternative stadium in the region.

Civic voices, however, stressed that infrastructure development must move in tandem with such investment initiatives.

Haridas Dutta, general secretary of the Nagarik Swartharaksha Sangram Parishad, welcomed the hotel project but pointed out that Barak Valley still requires reliable all-weather rail and road connectivity, particularly during the monsoon season.

Riya Sen, a young professional, said that while the project is welcome, it should be accompanied by adequate planning.

“Traffic congestion is already a challenge in several parts of the city. With a project of this scale coming up, the administration must ensure that roads, water supply and electricity systems are strengthened,” she said.

Suman Paul, an elderly resident, also cautioned that rapid urban development could push up property prices and the overall cost of living.

The development assumes significance at a time when Silchar is gradually emerging as a strategic commercial node linking southern Assam with neighbouring states such as Mizoram, Tripura and Manipur.

Stakeholders believe the initiative also reflects growing investor confidence in Barak Valley, a region gradually positioning itself as an emerging economic corridor in the Northeast.