The Assam government is planning four new civil airports at Majuli, Diphu, Umrangso and Manas to strengthen regional air connectivity. The chief minister, Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma, said a memorandum of understanding will be signed next month with the Ministry of Civil Aviation for a feasibility study and that the Dolo airport in Cachar is already under way. If realised, Assam would receive four new civilian airports within the next five years.\n\nAircraft operations at the newly opened terminal of the Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport (LGBI) are set to start from 22 February after its inauguration by the prime minister on 17 January. The chief minister said proposals for emergency landing facilities for civilian use have been forwarded to the centre. These steps are intended to expand capacity and improve regional connectivity across the state.\n\nHe noted that sanction has been received for several infrastructure projects but approval is awaited for the elevated corridor from the LGBI to Jalukbari, a project estimated at Rs 15 bn. The Guwahati Ring Road will include the Kuruwa-Narengi bridge and the union and state governments will together spend Rs 57.29 bn, with land acquisition costs of Rs 70 bn. The union is expected to contribute Rs 69.57 bn for the Kaziranga Elevated Corridor.\n\nThe prime minister is scheduled to visit in March to lay the foundation stone for the Silchar-Shillong-Guwahati high-speed corridor, which is expected to cut travel time between Silchar and Guwahati to about four and a half to five hours and which carries an estimated cost of Rs 228.64 bn. A four-lane road from Baihata Chariali to Tezpur, estimated at Rs 140 bn, is close to central approval. The union had assured projects worth Rs 800 bn at Advantage Assam 2.0 and sanctions totalling Rs 550 bn have been secured. The Kamakhya ropeway project has attracted two bids and its foundation will be laid during the prime minister's next visit.