Parliament Question: Connectivity projects in NER

Government of India Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 38 To be answered on Thursday, January 29, 2026/ 9 Magha, 1947 (Saka) QUESTION Connectivity projects in NER 38 Smt. Rajani Ashokrao Patil:

Will the Minister of Development of North Eastern Region be pleased to state:

(a) the current progress of major road, rail and digital connectivity projects in the North Eastern Region (NER);

(b) whether delays due to terrain funding or execution issues have been identified;

(c) the steps taken to improve last mile connectivity and employment generation in remote districts; and

(d) how these initiatives are aligned with the objective of integrating the North East with the national economic growth? ANSWER The Minister of State of the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region [Dr. Sukanta Majumdar]

(a) to (d) The current progress of major road, rail and digital connectivity projects in the North Eastern Region (NER) is as under:

(i) The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways have informed that the length of National Highways in North Eastern Region has increased from 10,905 km in 2014 to 16,207 km as on 01.04.2025. Further, a total of 177 projects having length of 3,635 km costing Rs.

87,119 crore are under different stages of implementation in the North Eastern Region.

(ii) The Ministry of Rural Development have informed that since the inception of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), 17,666 road works of 89,503 Km and 2,396 bridge works have been sanctioned in the North Eastern States, out of which, construction of 16,547 road works of 81,448 Km and 2,126 bridges has been completed with an expenditure of Rs.

53,353.49 crore, including State share.

(iii) The Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MDoNER) have sanctioned 647 roads and bridges projects costing Rs. 8260.88 crore under various schemes of MDoNER, out of which 500 projects costing Rs. 4915 crore have been completed.(iv) The Ministry of Railways have informed that the railway projects are surveyed/ sanctioned/executed Zonal Railway-wise and not State-wise/UT-wise/District-wise as these projects span across State/UT/District boundaries, and the data in this regard is maintained by them Financial Year wise. As on 01.04.2025, 12 railway projects (08 New Lines and 04 Doubling) having a total length of 777 Km costing Rs. 69,342 crore falling partly/fully in North Eastern Region (NER) have been sanctioned, out of which, 278 km has been commissioned.

(v) The Department of Telecommunications have informed that as on December, 2025, 6,355 Gram Panchayats (GPs) have been made service ready for providing high bandwidth capacity internet/broadband connectivity under BharatNet project in the NER. Under Government funded 4G Saturation Project and other Mobile projects, till December, 2025, 3718 mobile towers have been commissioned covering 5366 villages/locations in NER.

The implementation period of the projects sanctioned by the Government depend upon various factors such as the geographical location, terrain, availability of land, mandatory statutory clearances, removal of obstacles, financial closures etc.

Benefits of these projects in the North East Region, inter-alia, include integration of people of North-East with the mainstream of the country, faster movement of the essential goods and agriculture products, increase in employment opportunities for the people of this region, socio- economic development of the area, development of tourism industry and increase in industrial activities in the region and thereby boosting the overall economy of the North-Eastern States.

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