Pankaj Nath, Assam, 9 September: A high-level review meeting chaired by Assam’s Minister for Barak Valley Development, Krishnendu Pal, was held on Wednesday in the Barak Valley conference hall at the Assam Secretariat to assess progress on key road and infrastructure projects aimed at the region’s comprehensive development. Focusing on the vital role of transport connectivity in unlocking economic growth for the Barak Valley, Minister Pal asked department officials for detailed status reports on ongoing construction and development works. He directed officers to ensure that major projects — including construction under the Assam Mala initiative, road works under the PMGSY (Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana), the Manowar–Panchgram road, and the Silchar–Churaibari road — are completed to high technical standards and within prescribed timelines. The minister also expressed particular interest in the construction of a reinforced bridge-deck across the Barak River at Gandhi Ghat, the construction of the Deputy Commissioner’s office for the new Sribhumi Medical College in Silchar, and repair and improvement of the approaches connecting Silchar Medical College and the university. He reiterated that both central and state governments have launched ambitious schemes for Barak Valley’s development and warned that negligence will not be tolerated. Minister Pal urged officials to perform their duties with a strong sense of public service. Present at the meeting were Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister Kaushik Roy; MLAs Amiya Kanti Das, Jubeir Anam Mazumdar, Vijay Malakar, Rajdeep Gowala, and Aminul Haque Laskar; Additional Secretary of the Barak Valley Development Department Aditya Vikram Yadav; commissioners from all three Barak Valley districts; and other concerned officials. Participants emphasized the need for timely, quality completion of projects and agreed on regular reviews and strengthened monitoring to ensure prompt execution. The review underscores the state government’s continued focus on improving road connectivity and civic infrastructure as central pillars for the Barak Valley’s socio-economic
