The Meghalaya government has started acquiring land for the ₹23,000 crore greenfield highway project that will connect Umiam Lake near Shillong to Silchar in Assam, officials said on Tuesday.

The four-lane high-speed corridor will pass through Ri-Bhoi district and will be implemented by the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL).

Ri-Bhoi Deputy Commissioner Abhilash Baranwal has issued a notification advising residents not to carry out any new construction or development in the identified project area without prior permission from the district administration.