Summary:
Shillong, Oct 4 (PTI) Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Monday laid the foundation for upgrading a road that connects Meghalaya capital with Dawki town, along the Indo-Bangladesh border, and stressed the need for improving connectivity in the northeastern region to boost its tourism prospects.
The project on National Highway-40, for which Rs 1,600 crore has been approved, is expected to reduce congestion on the feeder road adjoining the city and shorten travel time between Shillong and Dawki.
Naidu, after the virtual foundation-laying ceremony at the State Convention Centre here, said that the road, once upgraded, will ease transportation of goods, step up service delivery and contribute to the overall development of the region.
He called for fast-tracking of all developmental activities in the northeastern states with proper utilisation of the funds provided by the Centre.
"If we can expedite all projects here without delay or diversion, northeastern states have the potential to become the growth engines of the country," Naidu emphasised, adding that the "development of the nation is incomplete without the development of this region".
Expressing happiness over the "dip in insurgency-related activities" in the northeast, he underlined that peace is prerequisite for progress.