Guwahati: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the construction of a four-lane, access-controlled greenfield corridor between Gohpur (NH-15) and Numaligarh (NH-715) in Assam. The project will feature India’s first underwater road-cum-rail tunnel beneath the Brahmaputra.
The Centre will execute the project under the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) mode. It has pegged the total capital cost at Rs 18,662 crore. The project includes a 15.79-km twin-tube, TBM-driven tunnel. Each tube will carry two road lanes. One of the tubes will also have provisions for railway infrastructure. The overall length of the corridor will be 33.7 km.
Currently, travel between Numaligarh and Gohpur stretches to around 240 km. Vehicles cross the river via the Kaliabhomora bridge near Silghat. The journey takes nearly six hours and passes through Numaligarh, Kaziranga National Park and Biswanath town. The new alignment will significantly cut travel time. It will also decongest existing routes and improve all-weather connectivity.
Once completed, the tunnel will become India’s first underwater road-rail tunnel. It will also be only the second such tunnel globally. Officials said the project will greatly improve connectivity for Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and other Northeastern states. It will also help reduce logistics costs and improve freight efficiency.
The corridor will integrate with two major national highways—NH-15 and NH-715. It will also link with key railway infrastructure under the Northeast Frontier Railway. On the Gohpur side, it will connect to the Rangia–Murkongselek section under the Rangia Division. On the Numaligarh side, it will link with the Furkating–Mariani loop line under the Tinsukia Division.
Officials said the project will strengthen multimodal integration across the region. It will connect 11 economic nodes, three social nodes, two tourist nodes and eight logistics hubs. The corridor will link four major railway stations, two airports and two inland waterways terminals. This will enable smoother passenger and freight movement.
Beyond connectivity, the project carries major strategic and economic significance. Authorities expect it to generate around 80 lakh person-days of direct and indirect employment. It is also likely to spur industrial growth and open new avenues for trade and regional development across the Brahmaputra valley.
Officials said the mega infrastructure push reflects the Centre’s focus on strengthening connectivity in the Northeast. They added that such technology-intensive projects will deliver long-term socio-economic benefits to the region.