Kaladan Corridor to Slash Aizawl–Kolkata Distance by 700 km

Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal has confirmed that the Kaladan Multimodal Transit Transport Project, an ambitious initiative between India and Myanmar, will be fully operational by 2027, cutting the Aizawl–Kolkata distance by approximately 700 km. The project links India’s Sittwe Port (Myanmar) with Paletwa via river and onward to Mizoram by road, with the Sittwe port already complete and waterway investments totalling ₹10 billion.

Sonowal emphasized that when done, this corridor will transform connectivity in India’s northeast, bypassing the congested Siliguri “Chicken’s Neck” route. The new route promises to unlock international trade via sea, facilitating economic engagement with Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Myanmar and Southeast Asia. Additionally, enhanced inland waterways infrastructure forms part of a broader ₹50 billion investment to bolster riverine transport and maritime skills across the region.

Strategy aligns closely with India’s “Act East” policy—leveraging multimodal and inland waterway transport as catalysts for regional development and economic revival across Northeast India.