In Assam, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has extended 200 million US dollar loan to improve water supply and other urban services in two major cities of Guwahati and Dibrugarh. The projects are to be completed by December 2017. According to official sources, the funds will be used to provide clean piped water to about 3,50000 residents in the capital Guwahati, besides major upgrades in sewerage and solid waste systems in the two cities. A 10 kilometre-long bus rapid transit corridor will be developed in Guwahati city which will serve more than 40,000 people a day. Director General of ADB’s South Asia Department, Sultan Hafeez Rahman said it embarked on a long-term strategic development partnership with the Government to improve urban infrastructure and increase state capacity considering the importance of Assam as the gateway to economic uplift in North East India.