Lok Sabha Question No. 3104 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-03-16
Subject: Connectivity for Development of North East
Ministry: DEVELOPMENT OF NORTH EASTERN REGION
Asked by: RAJ KUMAR SINGH

(a - c)

- A.  Improvement  in  road,  rail,  air,  communication,  waterways  and  telecom  network  are essential for development for North East States. Ministry of DoNER is coordinating various activities including connectivity projects of the line ministries. Ministry of DoNER and NEC also provide support for bridging of infrastructural gaps.
- B.  To improve the telecom capacity in the country, the Government has set up International Internet Gateway (IIG) at Agartala, by availing the service from the Bangladesh Submarine Company Ltd. After the formal opening of the International Internet Gateway, Tripura will be the third state in the country to have such a gateway after Mumbai and Chennai. All the North  Eastern  States  are  going  to  benefit  from  this  internet  gateway.    Comprehensive Telecom Development Plan for North-Eastern Region at a cost of Rs.5336.18 crore under implementation under which mobile connectivity in Arunachal Pradesh and 2 Districts of Assam and in other States of North East along with seamless mobile connectivity along all National Highways and augmentation of District optical fibre connectivity are planned to be completed by March, 2018.
- C. Ministry  of  Road Transport and Highways has formulated the Special Accelerated Road Development Programme for North-East (SARDP-NE), for upgradation of 10141 km road stretches of National Highways and State Roads in the year 2005-06.  Out of 10141 km of roads  included  under  SARDP-NE,  6418  km  has  been  approved  by  the  Government  for implementation  under  Phase  'A'  and  the  Arunachal  Pradesh  Package  of  Roads  & Highways, and balance 3723 km has been approved only for preparation of DPR under

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF DEVELOPMENT OF NORTH EASTERN REGION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3104

TO BE ANSWERED ON

Wednesday, March 16, 2016/ Phalguna 26, 1937(Saka)

## QUESTION

## CONNECTIVITY FOR DEVELOPMENT OF NORTH EAST

3104.  SHRI R.K. SINGH:

Will the Minister of DEVELOPMENT OF NORTH EASTERN REGION be pleased to state:

- a)  whether  the  improvement  of  road,  rail  and  air  connectivity  is  the  single  most  important method  for  ensuring  the  development  of  the  North  Eastern  States  and  if  so,  the  steps taken by his Ministry in this regard;
- b)  whether projects for providing the above connectivity have been languishing for more than ten  years,  while  the  proposals  for  additional  roads  corridors  across  the  North  Eastern States have not even taken off; and
- c)  if so, the steps his Ministry plan to take to enhance the connectivity to the North Eastern Region?

## ANSWER

The Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region [Dr. Jitendra Singh]

Phase 'B'.   The  projects  are  targeted  for  completion  by  March,  2017  for  Phase  'A'  and March, 2018 for Arunachal Pradesh Package.

- D. There are certain projects like East West Highway, Rail link to Gangtok and Shillong which have  been  pending  since  long.  As  far  as  the  road  projects  are  concerned  the  Special Accelerated Road Development Programme - North East (SARDP-NE) Phase 'B' is yet to take off.

Ministry of Railways has taken up 19 major railway projects consisting of 12 new lines, 3 gauge conversions and 4 doubling projects in North Eastern Region. Recently, Ministry of Railways has completed four major projects ie., (i) Harmuti-Naharlagun - connectivity to Itanagar, (ii) Dudhnoi-Mendipathar -Meghalya (iii) Rangia-Murkongselek -gauge conversion - north bank of Brahmaputra River (iv) Lumding-Silchar - Gauge conversion completed.   Two major projects about to be completed: (i) Arunachal - Jiribam - Gauge conversion, (ii) Katakhal-Bhairabi - Gauge conversion.

Ministry of Civil Aviation has taken up the following major/important works in North East States:

- (i) Greenfield Airport at Pakyong- 89% of the operational area works are completed, 39 % terminal building and other city side works are completed. Tentative date of completion of the project is September, 2017.
- (ii) Upgradation  of  Teju  airport  -  55%  completed.    Operational  area  works  almost completed. Terminal building and city side works are in progress. The tentative date of completion is December, 2017.
- (iii) Integrated  office  complex for  AAI/DGCA, Guwahati - 99 % works are completed. The tentative date of completion is April, 2016.
- (iv) Extension of runway at Dibrugarh - Works awarded.  Mobilization in progress. The tentative date of completion is November, 2017.
- (v) Resurfacing of runway at Silchar - Works awarded in Nov. 2015.  Mobilization in progress. The tentative date of completion is November, 2016.
- (vi) Extension  of  Apron  at  Imphal  -  93%  works  completed,  Apron  portion  fully completed. Tentative date of completion is April, 2016.
- (vii) Boundary  wall  for  Shillong  Airport  -  Tentative  date  of  completion  is  December, 2017;

Ministry of DoNER, through North Eastern Council (NEC), has approved seven important airport development projects through viability gap funding to improve the air connectivity. It is also providing viability gap funding for unserved airports.

Inland  Waterways Authority of India (M/o Shipping) has taken up the following major/important works in North East States:

- (i) A permanent New Ro-Ro terminal at Dhubri is under construction and the target date of completion is August, 2016.
- (ii) Bank protection at Jogighopa project has completed.
- (iii) Construction of two Ro-Ro vessels commenced and tentative date of completion is May, 2017.
- (iv) Construction  of  Ship  Repair  facility  at  Pandu,  Guwahati  commenced  and  the tentative date of completion is December, 2018.

106 new National Waterways has been declared by the Government in which 20 rivers of NER has also been included in this list.

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