The Cabinet approved a 166.80 km Greenfield High-Speed Corridor from Mawlyngkhung (Shillong) to Panchgram (Silchar) under Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM) at a capital cost of ₹22,864 crore.

About the Project

• The project involves the development, maintenance, and management of NH-06 as a 4-lane access-controlled Greenfield corridor to improve connectivity in Northeast India.
• Project Stretch: The corridor spans from Mawlyngkhung (near Shillong) in Meghalaya to Panchgram (near Silchar) in Assam, covering 144.80 km in Meghalaya and 22 km in Assam.
• Key Specifications:
• • Length: 166.80 km
  • Mode: Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM)
  • Connectivity: Links NH-27, NH-106, NH-206, NH-37, SH-07, SH-08, SH-09, SH-38
    

Significance of the Project

• Regional Connectivity: The corridor will significantly improve connectivity between Guwahati, Shillong, Silchar, Imphal, Aizawl, and Agartala, reducing travel time and distance.
• Economic Development: The project will spur industrial and economic growth in Meghalaya and Assam by passing through coal and cement producing regions and enabling smoother logistics.
• Tourism: Connectivity to airports in Guwahati, Shillong, and Silchar will enhance tourism by linking scenic destinations in the Northeast to major cities.
• Employment Generation: The construction phase is expected to generate 74 lakh man-days (direct) and 93 lakh man-days (indirect), supporting local employment.
• Decongestion: The corridor will decongest the existing NH-06 and aligns with the PM Gati Shakti Master Plan for integrated infrastructure development.

About Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM)

• HAM is a type of Public-Private Partnership ( PPP) Model, used to fund highway development.
• It is a mix of EPC (Engineering, Procurement, Construction) and BOT (Build-Operate-Transfer) models to overcome challenges of these models.
• Risk Sharing Mechanism: The government bears 40% of the project cost during the construction phase, reducing the financial burden on private developers.
• Annuity-Based Payment: The remaining 60% is paid to the developer as annuities over 15 years along with interest and operation and maintenance payments.
• Promotes Investor Confidence: By minimizing revenue risk for private players, HAM attracts greater private sector participation in infrastructure projects.