Guwahati (Assam) [India], April 20 (ANI): Assam Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah stated that Guwahati would be transformed into an attractive city within one and a half year.

Malla Baruah said, 'Guwahati is the gateway to the entire northeast, and we are working to make it attractive. The Central government funded us. We are working to make Silsako Beel a huge lake, and many new parks are being built as well. It is our responsibility to develop and beautify Guwahati, and I hope that after one and a half year, we will transform Guwahati into a beautiful place.'

He said that the Assam government has implemented several development projects, including beautification works, with the aim of making Guwahati the gateway of the entire northeast.

Guwahati is undergoing extensive works of beautification on the Brahmaputra Riverfront, infrastructure works, and improvement of the drainage system, from the Guwahati-North Guwahati connecting bridge over the Brahmaputra River to the Brahmaputra Riverfront project at Uzanbazar area.

He said that the state government also aimed to make Guwahati a flood-free city.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Assam on September 8 this year, and he will inaugurate several projects and lay the foundation stone of two infrastructure projects: the Rs 5,700 crore Guwahati Ring Road project and the Darrang Medical College and Hospital.

Earlier, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, the King of Bhutan, paid a visit to Assam on Saturday to inspect key infrastructure facilities at Jogighopa, underscoring the growing cooperation between India and Bhutan, an official press release by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated.

The Bhutanese King visited the Inland Waterways Terminal (IWT) and the Multi-Modal Logistics Park (MMLP), two major connectivity projects aimed at boosting trade and regional development. His Majesty was received by Assam's Minister for Public Health Engineering and Housing & Urban Affairs, Jayanta Malla Baruah.

During the visit, officials highlighted the significance of these projects, particularly the IWT at Jogighopa, which was inaugurated in February this year. The terminal is a vital part of India's infrastructure push in the Northeast and is expected to contribute significantly to improving cross-border logistics and connectivity, as per the press release.

These developments support broader regional goals and are especially important for enhancing economic integration between Assam and neighbouring Bhutan.

The visit took place in the context of India's 'Neighbourhood First' policy, through which the Government of India has been undertaking several initiatives to strengthen people-to-people ties and improve economic connectivity with Bhutan. (ANI)