Centre clears India's first Rs 18,662-cr rail-road tunnel under Brahmaputra

Guwahati: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the construction of a 4-lane access-controlled greenfield corridor from Gohpur (NH-15) to Numaligarh (NH-715) in Assam, including a 15.79-km road-cum-rail tunnel beneath the Brahmaputra River.

The project will be developed at a total capital cost of Rs 18,662 crore under the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) mode.

At present, connectivity between Numaligarh and Gohpur spans about 240 km via the Kaliabhambhora bridge near Silghat on NH-52, a journey that takes nearly six hours and passes through Numaligarh, Kaziranga National Park and Biswanath Town.

The proposed corridor is expected to reduce this distance to about 34 km, drastically cutting travel time.

Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the project aligns with the NDA government’s Act East Policy.

“The 240 km will become 34 km. The six-hour journey will be reduced to just 20 minutes. The average speed will double, and high-speed connectivity will link Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. The entire Northeast will benefit across economic activity, tourism, healthcare and education,” he said.

Expressing this gratitude to the Prime Minister, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma termed the development a "historic milestone".

''A historic milestone for Assam- Bharat's first twin tube underwater rail cum road tunnel approved! Gratitude to Adarniya @narendramodi ji led Union Cabinet for approving the 33.7 km 4-lane corridor from Gohpur to Numaligarh, including a 15.79 km tunnel beneath the mighty Brahmaputra River, at a cost of Rs 18,662 cr," he posted on a micro-blogging website.

First in India, second in the world

The 15.79-km tunnel will be India’s first underwater road-cum-rail tunnel and the second such tunnel globally. The alignment will integrate two major National Highways, NH-15 and NH-715, and connect with key railway sections under the Northeast Frontier Railway, including the Rangia–Murkongselek section on the Gohpur side and the Furkating–Mariani loop line on the Numaligarh side.

Designed as a multi-modal infrastructure project, the corridor will link 11 economic nodes, three social nodes, two tourist nodes and eight logistics nodes.

It will also improve access to four major railway stations, two airports and two inland waterways, enabling faster movement of goods and passengers.

Upon completion, the project is expected to enhance freight efficiency, reduce logistics costs and accelerate socio-economic growth across Assam and the wider Northeast.

The government has estimated that construction will generate approximately 80 lakh person-days of direct and indirect employment.

Officials described the tunnel as a strategically significant initiative that will strengthen connectivity between major economic centres and open new avenues for trade, industrial development and regional integration in the Northeast.