Addressing a public gathering, Shah said earlier governments had failed to invest in infrastructure or security in border regions. He claimed that road construction in Assam now averages 14 kilometres per day — a pace he described as the fastest in the country — and linked the improvement to policy changes under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The newly launched phase of the Vibrant Villages Programme will cover 1,954 villages across 15 states and two Union Territories, focusing on infrastructure, connectivity, and economic activity in sensitive frontier areas.
Shah said the programme aims to curb migration from border belts and prevent illegal cross-border movement. He also pledged that the government would make Assam flood-free within five years through long-term mitigation measures, adding that the state had emerged as a regional hub for healthcare services over the past decade.
During the visit, Shah is scheduled to inspect a border outpost along the India-Bangladesh frontier and attend the annual day parade of the Central Reserve Police Force, which is being hosted in the Northeast for the first time. He will also lay the foundation stone for a new campus of the 10th Assam Police Battalion in Sonapur.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma received Shah at the airport and accompanied him at official events. The visit comes amid heightened political activity ahead of the state Assembly elections, expected in early April, with the Election Commission of India likely to announce the schedule in early March.
Meanwhile, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi, also touring Assam, criticised the state government and accused it of making personal allegations instead of focusing on governance. She earlier offered prayers at the Kamakhya Temple and paid tribute to late singer Zubeen Garg during her visit.
Political observers say the parallel tours underscore an intensifying campaign atmosphere, with both national parties sharpening their messaging ahead of the polls. Shah’s announcements and accusations signal a strategy centred on security, infrastructure, and border development as key electoral themes.
