The third meeting of the High-Level Task Force on Infrastructure, Logistics Cost and Connectivity in the Northeastern Region was held on December 22 under the chairmanship of Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha, bringing together chief ministers and senior officials to review logistics constraints, connectivity gaps and coordination challenges affecting freight movement across the region.
The task force assessed key regional bottlenecks, including transport link deficiencies, gaps in multimodal integration and project implementation timelines. Discussions focused on aligning short-, medium- and long-term infrastructure priorities with stronger institutional coordination to reduce logistics costs and enhance supply chain reliability in the Northeast.
Presenting a phase-wise roadmap, Saha outlined proposals covering logistics networks, multimodal connectivity, cross-border trade corridors and enabling digital and power infrastructure. He emphasised the need to treat the Northeast as a unified logistics region and called for closer coordination among central ministries responsible for roads, railways, civil aviation, inland waterways, power, telecommunications and petroleum. The roadmap also flagged the need to address forest and environmental clearance issues that continue to delay infrastructure projects.
Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma highlighted the state’s strategic location under the Act East Policy, stating that Mizoram could serve as a gateway to neighbouring countries. He urged faster progress on critical connectivity projects, particularly the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project, and underlined the importance of border trade, logistics infrastructure and institutional support in achieving the task force’s objectives.
Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said the roadmap proposed by Tripura, developed in consultation with other member states, offered a comprehensive framework to improve logistics and connectivity in the region. He noted that effective execution would hinge on close collaboration between central ministries and state governments, and suggested seeking inputs from line ministries and NITI Aayog before finalising the task force’s report.
The High-Level Task Force is part of a broader institutional framework constituted by the Ministry of Development of the North Eastern Region (DoNER), comprising eight high-level groups led by chief ministers of northeastern states. The initiative follows a consensus reached at the 72nd plenary session of the North Eastern Council held in Agartala in December 2024, aimed at accelerating infrastructure development and reducing logistics costs in the strategically important region.
