The Assam government has announced a number of infrastructure projects totaling Rs 7,876.45 crore. The state cabinet has also approved a budget of Rs 3,107 crore for the construction of a four-lane bridge connecting Palasbari on the outskirts of Guwahati airport with Sualkuchi, which is known for its Assam silk textile industry. The proposed bridge would shorten the distance between Guwahati’s Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport and Lower Assam districts by 25 kilometres. The 4.08-kilometer-long structure will also connect the airport to Amingaon, on the river’s northern bank, where IIT Guwahati is located. In collaboration with Tata Technologies Ltd, the cabinet has also decided to upgrade 34 polytechnic institutes and 43 government ITIs to ‘centres of excellence’ (TTL).
A total of Rs 2,390 crore has been approved for the same project, which will provide facilities such as skill upgrading and allied training for workers in the tea and food processing, handicrafts, and textiles industries in the state. Construction of four new medical colleges and hospitals in Bongaigaon, Dhemaji, Golaghat, and Morigaon has received administrative approval worth Rs 2,000 crore. A contract for the construction of the terminal and riverine infrastructure at Guwahati Gateway Ghat, worth Rs. 289.45 crore, was also awarded. Assam Inland Waterways Company Ltd (AIWCL) will be established as a state-owned enterprise to develop, maintain, and operate cost-effective water transportation services, including river cruises, throughout the state. AIWCL will also develop and maintain all-weather ports, jetties, and passenger terminals.