Guwahati, July 28: The future of the proposed Saralpara–Srirampur–Udaipur–Daibuti Indo-Bhutan Border Road Project now depends on a decision by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), with the Assam Government confirming that all alignment proposals submitted for the project have been turned down by the Centre.
The update was shared in the Assam Legislative Assembly during the Monsoon Session in response to Assembly Question No. 378. Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma, who also oversees the Public Works Department (PWD), said the state government had exhausted multiple options before the project eventually came to a standstill.
According to the Chief Minister, planning for the strategic road began in 2017 with the preparation of a Detailed Project Report (DPR). Wadia Techno Engineering Services Ltd., Mumbai, was appointed as the consultant to carry out the project planning and technical studies.
During the planning phase, the state conducted aerial LiDAR mapping and consulted several national agencies, including the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) and the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL), while preparing alternative alignments for the proposed road. These proposals were subsequently forwarded to the Ministry of Home Affairs for approval.
However, none of the suggested alignments received clearance from the MHA. With no consensus reached over the route despite years of discussions, the project could not proceed. The government subsequently terminated the work on July 31, 2020, and returned the remaining sanctioned funds to the Ministry of Home Affairs in June 2022.
Replying to questions on whether the project could be revived, Sarma said the matter is now entirely in the hands of the Ministry of Home Affairs. The proposed border road was conceived to improve transportation links, strengthen security infrastructure and support socio-economic development in the Indo-Bhutan border region of Assam.
