The 49th Network Planning Group (NPG) meeting of PM GatiShakti National Master Plan (NMP) has recommended a roadways project in Tripura.
Ms. Sumita Dawra, Special Secretary, Logistics Division, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, chaired the meeting of the NPG in New Delhi.
The road section of Khowai-Teliamura-Harina, with a total length of 134.9 km, was considered for its improvement and widening to two lanes with a paved shoulder of NH-208 in Tripura. It is a brownfield project with a total cost of Rs 2,486 Crore.
The project is planned with a multi-modal connectivity approach, connectivity to industrial clusters, and a new SEZ namely- Paschim Jalefa, with efficient freight movement, reduced carbon footprint, optimized alignment, and logistical efficiency.
The project road passes through Khowai, Gomati, and South Tripura districts connecting places like Khowai, Teliamura, Twidu, Amarpur, Karbook, and Harina in Tripura.
It will not only enhance interstate connectivity between Assam and Tripura but also give a boost to the economic and industrial activities in Tripura.
The planning of the project on NMP yielded the following key benefits-
Enhancing Logistics efficiency: By using NMP, the road length got reduced by 28 km (from 162 km to 134 km), thus reducing travel time by 2.5 hours.
Enhanced multi-modal connectivity: This project corridor facilitates intermodal transport from Telimaura Railway Station and Manu Bazar Railway Station near Harina. The proposed road improves connectivity to the Airport at Agartala and the proposed Multi-Modal Logistics Park (MMLP) at Udaipur.
Regional Connectivity: This corridor is very close to the Bangladesh border, and it would connect Bangladesh through Kailashahar, Kamalpur, and Khowai Border Check Post.
Connectivity to economic and social nodes: The road will boost connectivity to 4 economic nodes, such as Industrial Cluster around Agartala, FCI depot, etc., and 13 social nodes, such as Matabari Temple, Neer Mahal, Pilak Civilization Museum, Jampui Hills, Ambassa Eco Park, etc.
It will facilitate Freight Movement from Kolkata to the North Eastern States (majorly, Tripura, Mizoram, and Manipur) to Bangladesh.
Boost to Industry and Exports Promotion: Project would facilitate the movement of raw materials for Industry clusters in Tripura. The project would facilitate the movement of manufactured goods like rubber, textile, bamboo, food processing, etc., from economic nodes like i.e., SEZ located at Paschim Jalefa, Sabroom in South Tripura District, and Industrial Clusters/Parks around Agartala and Udaipur. The proposed road will connect North East India to Chittagong Port in Bangladesh. It would ensure EXIM connectivity.
Development in Tribal Area: This project enhances connectivity to 3 Tribal Districts- Khowai district, Gomati district, and South Tripura district.
The project is on Engineering Procurement & Construction (EPC) basis under Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Official Development Assistance (ODA) Loan. The principles of PM GatiShakti NMP have been adopted during the planning of the road alignment. Alignment of the road is superimposed with data layers available on NMP Portal, like railway lines, forests, power lines, water bodies, etc. The intersections will be seen with forests and other sensitive zones to minimize environmental disruptions.
Institutional Mechanism of PM GatiShakti facilitated inter-ministerial consultations through NPG meetings for integrated planning and decision-making. The 49th NPG meeting saw representation from Infrastructure Ministries/Departments including M/o Road Transport and Highways, M/o Railways, M/o Ports, Shipping and Waterways, M/o Civil Aviation, M/o Power, M/o Petroleum and Natural Gas, Department of Telecommunication (DoT), M/o New and Renewable Energy and NITI Aayog and Tripura State Government, to discuss on the various aspects of the project.