Assam: Travel Time to Shrink to 20 Minutes as Brahmaputra Underwater Tunnel Gets Greenlight

Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced on Saturday that the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has cleared the country’s first twin-tube underwater rail-and-road tunnel beneath the River Brahmaputra.

The project envisages a 33.7-kilometre, four-lane corridor linking Gohpur and Numaligarh. At its core will be a 15.79-kilometre tunnel running under the river. The estimated cost of the scheme stands at ₹18,662 crore.

Describing the approval as a “historic milestone,” the Chief Minister said the long-planned project, which was first conceptualised in 2021, would dramatically improve connectivity between the two towns. The new route is expected to shrink the present 240-kilometre journey to just 34 kilometres, cutting travel time from around six hours to approximately 20 minutes.

CM Sarma said the tunnel would significantly enhance freight movement and reduce logistics costs, providing a major boost to economic activity in the region.

He characterised the project as a strategic asset for Assam and the wider Northeast, noting that it would open up fresh opportunities in trade, tourism, and industry.

The tunnel will become Assam’s fourth railway crossing over the Brahmaputra. Unlike the three existing crossings (all bridges), this will be the first sub-river tunnel in the state of Assam.

The Chief Minister also expressed appreciation to Union Minister Nitin Gadkari for supporting the proposal, stating that the project would accelerate Assam’s development trajectory.

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