Noting that insurgency in the North East was coming down, he underlined that peace was prerequisite for progress

Better road connectivity was needed in the North Eastern region to fully tap its tourism potential and ease the transport of goods,
Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu said on
Monday.

This would also help improve delivery of services and contribute to the overall development of the region, he said.

Expressing happiness that insurgency in the North East was coming down, Vice President Naidu underlined that “peace is prerequisite for progress”. He suggested utilizing the peaceful ecosystem for fast-tracking progress in the region.

The Vice President was speaking at the foundation laying ceremony of the improvement and widening project of the Shillong-Dawki section of the National Highway 40 in Shillong.

He underlined the significance of the improvement/widening of NH-40 to the tourism industry in the state.

Describing Meghalaya as a beautiful state with enormous tourism potential, Naidu called for more concerted efforts from the Central and State governments to promote tourism and improve infrastructure for the tourists.

Vice President Naidu also called for fast-tracking all the developmental activities in the North Eastern states, utilizing the funds provided by the Centre for various projects with transparency and accountability.

“If we can expedite all projects here without delay or diversion, North Eastern states have the potential to become the growth engines of the country," Naidu emphasized. He stressed that “development of the country is incomplete without the development of North East.”

Observing that the hilly terrain and the rainy months in the North East often hinder the road construction activities there, Naidu called for an innovation in design and construction of roads for a hilly topography.

“Technical institutions around the country must take this as an opportunity and bring out better road designs, while cutting down on the implementation period”, he suggested.

Referring to the complexities of road connectivity in the North-Eastern region, the Vice President also highlighted the importance of improving connectivity through air travel.

Noting a marked improvement in air connectivity for the region under the Regional Connectivity Scheme, he called for more direct flights from and to the North East with the rest of the country.