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The Union Cabinet has approved an INR 18,662 crore project to build India's first underwater road-cum-rail tunnel beneath the Brahmaputra River in Assam. The 33.7 km corridor will connect Gohpur and Numaligarh, sharply reducing travel distance and time between the two locations. Planned as a twin-tube tunnel with road lanes and future rail provision, the project is expected to strengthen regional connectivity, improve logistics efficiency, and support economic activity across Upper Assam and nearby states.
The central government has approved a major infrastructure project involving an investment of INR 18,662 crore to construct an underwater road-cum-rail tunnel beneath the Brahmaputra River in Assam. The decision was taken by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs during the past week, positioning the project as India's first tunnel of its kind combining road and rail infrastructure under a river. Advertisement
The project involves the development of a 33.7 km, four-lane, access-controlled greenfield corridor linking Gohpur on National Highway 15 with Numaligarh on National Highway 715. A central feature of the corridor is a 15.79 km twin-tube tunnel to be constructed below the riverbed using Tunnel Boring Machine technology. Each tube will carry two road lanes, with one tube designed to accommodate future railway infrastructure.
At present, road travel between Gohpur and Numaligarh covers around 240 km and takes close to six hours due to indirect routing and congestion. Once operational, the new corridor is expected to reduce the distance to about 34 km and cut travel time to nearly 20 minutes, offering a more reliable and predictable route for both passenger and freight movement.
The project will be implemented under the Engineering, Procurement and Construction model. The approved cost includes civil construction, tunnel works, approach roads, land acquisition, and associated infrastructure. Officials have indicated that the alignment will integrate with existing road and rail networks, as well as improve access to nearby airports, industrial areas, and inland waterway terminals.
Beyond mobility benefits, the tunnel is expected to support economic activity in Upper Assam by improving connectivity to industrial hubs such as the Numaligarh Refinery area. It is also seen as strategically important for strengthening transport links in a region close to international borders, while generating direct and indirect employment during the construction phase.
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