GUWAHATI: Presenting the Assam Budget 2023-24 at the Legislative Assembly on Thursday, state Finance Minister Ajanta Neog announced several projects that would push the state's infrastructure.
"Projects worth ₹10,000 Cr under NIDA strengthening infrastructure in transport, tourism, education and other social sectors are also being taken up. Some other key infrastructure projects would be completed during 2023-24," she said.
She also spoke about the Asom Mala programme, which has different implementation legs, including SOPD, externally aided projects and NIDA (NABARD Infrastructure Development Assistance).
"14 roads of length of about 343 km, packaged into 18 contracts, have been taken up under SOPD leg. Five works of length 110 km are completed. The rest of the packages are in different stages of progress and would mostly be completed by 2024," Neog said.
The other announcements are as follows-
- ₹1,861.20 crore have been released for Asom Mala (SOPD) works to date, and an amount of ₹1,465.23 crores has been incurred till March 15.
- Eight works of 247 km have been taken up under Assam Secondary Road Network Improvement Project (ASRIP) aided by Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) with an outlay of ₹3,519.27 crore. The roads include the historic Dhodor Ali.
- 11 works of 312.5 km have been taken up under ASCCIP with an outlay of ₹3,994 crore. It includes one arterial road each in Dima Hasao, Karbi Anglong & West Karbi Anglong hill districts, BTR and Barak Valley region.
- Five road packages of length 135 km have been taken up under NIDA with an outlay of ₹1,252.14 cr. The works include the upgradation of the famous Pandit Hem Chandra Goswami path in the Golaghat district. All works have commenced.
- The government is working hard to ensure that the Guwahati Ring Road becomes a reality, spanning about 91 Km from Khanapara to Narengi via Baihata Chariali, Dumunichowki, Kurua, which includes a 6-lane bridge over river Brahmaputra connecting Narengi in South Bank with Kurua in North Bank. Apart from Dhubri Fulbari Bridge, the bridge over the Brahmaputra connecting Palashbari with Sualkuchi has also been sanctioned for ₹3197.20 crore, and work will start very soon.
- Kaziranga elevated corridor is in its final stage of sanctioning and process for wildlife clearances.
- Construction of a bridge over the river Brahmaputra connecting Majuli with Jorhat with the cost of Rs 925 crore
- Improvement and up-gradation of the road from Balichapori, Majuli to Bangalmara, Lakhimpur, including constructing two major bridges over Luit and Subansiri rivers with cost- Rs 969.15 cr on EPC mode under ASRIP, are other important projects.
- Construction of work on a major Bridge with a cost of ₹248 cr over river Pagladia with a road Connecting Kumarikata and Nayabasti is in full swing.
Some of the important flyovers proposed for construction are:
- Four-lane elevated road on Gopinath Bordoloi Road
- Flyover at cycle factory junction on Guwahati-Garbhanga Road
- Flyover at Fatasil Chariali on RK Chowdhury Road
- Flyover near Downtown Hospital and near Rajiv Bhawan at GS Road
- Alternative elevated road to Kamakhya temple
- Elephant underpasses for elephant corridor locations near Deepor Beel
- An elevated road across Deepor Beel between Swahid Smarak approach road and Koinadhara road at Guwahati
- Flyover from Baruah Chariali to Bhogdoi Bridge at Jorhat
- Flyover at Amolapatty Railway Crossing
- Flyover at Mancotta Railway Crossing
- Flyover at Lahowal Railway Crossing in Dibrugarh
- Flyover from Diphu stadium to Diphu Head post office at Diphu
- An elevated road on Silchar Kalain road
- Four new Road corridors under Assam Mala
"District jails located at the centre of Dibrugarh, Cachar, Tezpur and Jorhat will be relocated so that urban open spaces in the form of parks can be created for public. Many new district libraries, circuit houses will be built," informed the FM.
She further informed that the existing Nehru Stadium would be strengthened along with converting the Khanikar Integrated Sports Complex from a 5,000 to 15,000 seating capacity.
"Rabindra Bhawan at Guwahati will be reconstructed; state of the art DGP office, 5000 capacity auditorium at Sankardev Kalashetra and ITA Machkhowa will be major highlights of new infrastructure in Guwahati City," she said.
The minister also informed that two new medical colleges would be constructed at Karimganj and Sivasagar.
