AGARTALA, June 18 (TIWN): The Act East Policy, once called by Chief Minister of Tripura Manik Sarkar as a 'bogus' policy, has proven itself a big way for development with BJP led Assam Govt & Indian Govt's joint venture. While inaugurating the of India's longest and Asia's second longest Dhola-Sadiya bridge PM Modi said, " "We are committed to the development of the northeast. We are connecting different areas of the region with roads and waterways". In a similar fashion, 2 transport projects are waiting in state Tripura to be felicitated : Indo-Bangla Railway Project and the Feni rover project. Nitin Gadkari stressing upon the Highway, Roadway projects said, "BJP Govt has also started various road and highway projects with estimated cost of Rs 40,000 to 50,000 crore". "Today the BJP government in Assam under Sarbananda Sonowal is completing just one year in office but the number of problems have come down," Modi said indicating the importance of state / centre cooperation.

In the name of Capacity building, Tripura Govt. has failed to line up digital connectivity even after 8 years. Now the BJP led Central Govt. has increased the deadline upto 2017. The Capacity Building (CB) is a Project which was sanctioned by the Govt. of India for Tripura initially for 3-year period at a total cost of Rs.7.36 crores on 26th February in 2008, which had been extended till Jan 9, 2015. But, now the project has been further extended up to March 2017.

The Union Govt. has initiated mega road and highway expansion / upgradation, but at the end of the NE Industry Summit held from Sep 21 to Sep 23, it was reported that the overall progress has been very slow & Northeast Ring has still remained just as a concept. 

But Tripura being ruled by CPI-M since 23 years, is acting like a rebel to the Prime Minister & his all policies. Whereas due to corruption in PWD the roadways are left in miserable shape in Tripura, but when the Central Govt. is trying to help the state will better connectivity due to non-cooperation it’s not happening in reality.

On the ending day of NE Industry Summit on Sep 23rd, it was said that although railway, port-ways are easing travelling, but the lifeline to business & commerce are the Highways, which are traditionally known as the shortcut common ways for trade.

It was also said by experts that the long term potential for Northeastern States to be connected seamlessly via road networks internally as well as externally--------1) Internally among the 8 state capitals through a Northeast Ring Road, and 2) externally with Asian Highway Network.