The importance of the north eastern states for Narendra Modi’s government is being measured significantly after the recent victory of Bharatiya Janata Party in Assam which registered the entry of BJP in north east region.

Japan, who is helping India in few projects, now wants to develop two important road projects at the north eastern region and they have pledged Rs. 67.1 billion to improve roads in the region. Japan specifically looking at national highways 40 and 55 that provide key links to Bangladesh and the only southeast Asian county India shares a land boundary, Myanmar.

Although north east region is filled with various types of natural resources, connectivity is the main problem in the region and Japan is helping India in that zone.

According to experts, a network of roads linked to waterways can turn the region into a busy trade route and give it the much needed economic push.

A spokesperson of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) said, “Prime Minister Shizo Abe has expressed Japan’s intention to provide loans for road connectivity in the Northeast that will also boost regional connectivity.”

The final funding report is being created now for the slope protection on national highway 55 at Siliguri-Darjeeling stretch, which is prone to landslides. On national highway 40, which connects Shilong to Dawki in Meghalaya close to the Bangladesh border, Japan is scheduled to lend the support.

Apart from this, after Abe’s last visit to India in December, Japan government had signed an agreement with Indian government to invest Rs. 7,000 crore for two highways projects in Mizaram and Meghalaya.

The first being the upgradation of 350-km road between Aizwal and Tuipang in Mizoram, the section which passes through a rolling terrain and needs constant maintenance. The other sea route is planned between Kolkata and Sittwe in Myanmar that will help in movement of goods.

The second project is to develop Tura-Dalu section of NH 51 in Meghalaya that runs up to the Bangladeshi border.

By Prajakt K.