Network Planning Group Under PM GatiShakti Recommends a Roadways Project in Tripura at its 49th Session

The 49^th 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 kms was considered for its improvement and widening to two lanes with paved shoulder of NH-208 in Tripura. It is a brownfield project with total cost of Rs 2,486 Crore. The project is planned with a multimodal connectivity approach; connectivity to industrial clusters and new SEZ namely Paschim Jalefa; efficient freight movement; reducing 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 also not only enhance connectivity 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 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.
• Facilitates Freight Movement from Kolkata to North Eastern States (majorly, Tripura, Mizoram and Manipur) to Bangladesh.
• Boost to Industry and Exports Promotion: Project would facilitate movement of raw materials for Industry clusters in Tripura. Project would facilitate 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. This would ensure EXIM connectivity.
• Development in Tribal Area: Project enhances connectivity to 3 Tribal Districts- Khowai district, Gomati district, 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, forest, power lines, water bodies etc. The intersections will be seen with forest and other sensitive zones to minimize environmental disruptions.

Institutional Mechanism of PM GatiShakti facilitated inter-ministerial consultations through NPG meeting for integrated planning and decision making. The 49^th 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 from Tripura State Government, to discuss on the various aspects of the project.