Agartala, Dec 22 (IANS) Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Monday emphasised the early implementation of the Kaladan Multimodal Transit and Transport Project linking the Northeastern region with Myanmar and stressed the need to strengthen multimodal connectivity corridors connecting the region with the rest of India and neighbouring countries.
Addressing the third virtual meeting of the High-Level Task Force for Infrastructure and Connectivity Development in the Northeastern states, Saha underscored the importance of developing the region as a gateway to the Bay of Bengal and ASEAN countries through integrated logistics hubs, freight rail networks, and robust energy and digital infrastructure.
The meeting, chaired by Union Minister for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Jyotiraditya Scindia, was held virtually.
Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma, senior officials of all eight Northeastern states and the DoNER Ministry took part in the meeting.
Tripura Chief Minister said the Northeastern states possess immense potential for growth and development, stressing that collective and coordinated efforts among the states are essential to accelerate infrastructure and connectivity development in the region.
He highlighted the need for a coordinated approach to address challenges in road, rail, air and waterway connectivity, as well as power, gas, and digital infrastructure, and called for identifying region-specific constraints while planning future projects.
Saha also presented a comprehensive strategy prepared by the Task Force for strengthening infrastructure and communication systems in the Northeastern states, stating that the roadmap was formulated after assessing existing infrastructure, identifying bottlenecks, and factoring in future requirements.
Special emphasis was laid on identifying priority sectors such as regional infrastructure macro-grids, power, oil and natural gas, tourism, and border trade spaces, for which a detailed development outline has been proposed in the Task Force report.
The Chief Minister expressed optimism that enhanced coordination between the Centre and the Northeastern states would significantly improve connectivity and position the region as a gateway to Southeast Asia.
DoNER Minister Scindia, during the meeting, highly appreciated Chief Minister Saha and the Tripura government for the extensive preparation, integrated planning, and foresight reflected in the Task Force report.
The DoNER ministry had constituted several High-Level Task Forces to identify key interventions and formulate actionable short-term, medium-term, and long-term strategies for the integrated development of the North East Economic Corridor.
The task forces were constituted following the 72nd plenary session of the North-Eastern Council (NEC) held in November last year in Agartala and presided over by Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Tripura Industries and Commerce Secretary Kiran Gitte, Planning Secretary L.T. Darlong, Industries and Commerce Director Deepak Kumar, and other senior officials attended the meeting from the conference hall of the Tripura Institution for Transformation.
Meanwhile, the Kaladan Multimodal Transit and Transport Project (KMTTP) will link the Kolkata Port to Myanmar’s Sittwe Port, providing a crucial trade route through Mizoram. This project will significantly reduce the travel distance between West Bengal and Mizoram, enhancing trade and industrial growth.
The KMTTP is a strategic India-Myanmar initiative to connect India’s Northeast to the sea via Kolkata, Sittwe port, the Kaladan river, and Paletwa, ending with a road to Mizoram, providing an alternative to the congested Siliguri Corridor and boosting regional trade under India’s “Act East Policy”.
–IANS
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