Guwahati:

The Meghalaya government is looking forward to enhancing the state’s and northeast region’s connectivity with the rest of the country through Bangladesh.

This will be made possible with the Hili-Mahendraganj transnational economic corridor. While Hili is a border town in West Bengal, Mahendraganj is a border town in Meghalaya’s Garo Hills region.

Both areas share the border with Bangladesh.

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma said the 100-km route has the potential to shorten travel time and cost by 25-60 per cent from Kolkata to growth centres such as Tura, Baghmara, Dalu, and Dawki.

Presently, road alignment analytics prepared by the NHIDCL are shared with Bangladesh for conducting a feasibility study for the project.

“If the connection between Hilli in west bengal and Mahendraganj in Meghalaya through Bangladesh happens, places like Meghalaya, Barak Valley and Tripura will be connected with Kolkata in the shortest distance, and 600-700 km will be cut,” Mr Sangma said.

“This will become a parallel economic corridor. But when it will happen is a little difficult to say since this involves the Bangladesh government. Before the regime change, New Delhi discussed with Dhaka and it was a prime ministerial level meeting. We will push for it again,” he said.