Guwahati | The Assam government has informed the Legislative Assembly that the crucial missing link on National Highway-27 connecting Guwahati with the Barak Valley is on track for completion by September 2026, a development expected to significantly improve all-weather road connectivity to the region.

Responding to a question from Congress MLA Aminur Rashid Choudhury, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who also holds the Public Works Department portfolio, acknowledged the recurring disruption of road connectivity between Guwahati and the Barak Valley during the monsoon season.

“The government is aware of the severe disruptions caused to the Guwahati-Barak Valley road link via Meghalaya and Haflong during every monsoon, where even minor rainfall can affect connectivity,” the Chief Minister said in a written reply tabled in the Assembly.

Citing information provided by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), Sarma said the NH-27 stretches from Lanka to Nrimbanglo and from Balachera to Silchar fall under the jurisdiction of the NHAI’s Project Implementation Unit (PIU) in Silchar.

The Chief Minister noted that several vulnerable locations along the Meghalaya route have been identified as major landslide-prone zones. Extensive slope failures on both the hill and valley sides have repeatedly damaged road infrastructure and disrupted traffic movement, particularly during heavy rainfall.

To address these challenges, authorities have undertaken a series of engineering interventions aimed at strengthening the highway and improving slope stability. These include micro-piling, horizontal boring with perforated drainage pipes, gabion retaining walls, subsurface drainage systems, geo-textile reinforcement, geo-grid-based road layers, slope benching with lined drains, elevated viaducts in sinking zones and reinforced retaining structures.

According to the government, these measures are being implemented along the vulnerable stretches between Lanka and Nrimbanglo as well as Balachera and Silchar on NH-27.

The state government further informed the House that a dedicated restoration and mitigation project worth Rs 49 crore has been awarded to MGB Geotech Pvt Ltd for carrying out landslide-control and rehabilitation works in Meghalaya.

The project focuses on restoring and stabilising seven critical locations along the route that have been repeatedly affected by slope failures and road washouts. Restoration and slope-protection works are currently underway at all identified sites.

Highlighting the progress of the highway project, Sarma said the long-awaited missing link between Nrimbanglo and Harangajao is presently under construction and remains on schedule for completion by September this year.

The completion of the missing stretch is expected to provide a more reliable and resilient road corridor between Guwahati and the Barak Valley, reducing dependence on vulnerable sections and improving connectivity for passengers, trade and essential services, particularly during the monsoon months.

The update comes amid continued concerns over frequent disruptions on the state’s primary road links to the Barak Valley, which serves as a key economic and transportation hub in southern Assam.