New Delhi: The Brahmaputra Underwater Road Rail Tunnel project has received approval from the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, for the construction of a major road-and-rail connectivity corridor in Assam.
The project includes a 4-lane access-controlled greenfield highway from Gohpur on NH-15 to Numaligarh on NH-715, featuring a 15.79-km road-cum-rail tunnel beneath the Brahmaputra River.
The project will be developed at a total capital cost of ₹18,662 crore under the Engineering Procurement Construction (EPC) model, with a total project length of 33.7 km.
Brahmaputra Underwater Road Rail Tunnel to Transform Connectivity in Northeast
At present, connectivity between Numaligarh on NH-715 and Gohpur on NH-15 spans approximately 240 km via the Kaliabhomora bridge near Silghat, requiring nearly six hours of travel through Numaligarh, Kaziranga National Park, and Biswanath.
The new Brahmaputra Underwater Road Rail Tunnel project aims to significantly reduce travel distance and time while improving transportation efficiency.
The government stated that this will be India’s first underwater road-cum-rail tunnel and the world’s second such infrastructure project.
The project is expected to deliver substantial benefits to Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, and other northeastern states by improving freight movement, reducing logistics costs, and supporting socio-economic development across the region.
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Multi-Modal Integration Across Road, Rail, and Logistics Networks
The corridor will integrate with two major national highways – NH-15 and NH-715 – and connect with railway infrastructure under the Northeast Frontier Railway network. This includes:
- Rangia–Mukongselek railway section under Rangia Division (Gohpur side)
- Furkating–Mariani loop line section under Tinsukia Division (Numaligarh side)
The project will enhance regional connectivity through integration with:
- 11 economic nodes
- 3 social nodes
- 2 tourist nodes
- 8 logistics nodes
It will also provide connectivity to:
- 4 major railway stations
- 2 airports
- 2 inland waterways
This multi-modal infrastructure integration is expected to facilitate faster and more efficient movement of both passengers and goods across Assam and the Northeast.
Economic and Strategic Impact
Upon completion, the project is expected to play a key role in strengthening regional connectivity, enabling trade expansion, and supporting industrial development in Northeast India.
The construction phase is projected to generate approximately 80 lakh person-days of direct and indirect employment, contributing to economic growth and development in surrounding regions.
Also Read: Indian Railways Plans to Double Originating Train Capacity in 48 Major Cities by 2030
Brahmaputra Underwater Road Rail Tunnel: Project DetailsFeature Details Project Name Construction of Twin Tube TBM road Underwater tunnel 2 Lane each under River Brahmaputra along with provision of Railway infrastructure in one of the tubes, in the state of Assam on EPC Mode with total length of project as 33.7 Km. Corridor Gohpur on NH-15 – Numaligarh on NH-715 Length (km) 33.7 Km. Total Civil Cost (Rs Cr.) 11,982.36 Cr. Land Acquisition Cost (Rs Cr.) 716.65 Total Capital Cost (Rs Cr.) 18,662.02 Mode Engineering Procurement Construction (EPC). Project Length Instant Project of Length 33.77 Km. Twin Tube TBM Tunnel with Railway in one of the tubes 15.79 Km. Total Road cut & cover 1.26 Km. Total Rail cut & cover 4 Km. Major Roads Connected National Highways – NH-15 & NH715 Rail Line connected Rangia-Mukongselek Railway Section under Rangia Division of NFR on Gohpur Side Furkating-Mariani loop line section under Tinsukia Division of NFR on Numaligarh side Economic / Social / Transport Nodes Connected Airports (02 ) : Dony Paulo Holongi Airport Itanagar and Tezpur AirportRailway Stations (04) : Numaligarh Railway Station, Gohpur Railway Station, Golaghat Town Railway Station, Simaluguri JunctionInland Water way Terminals (02): Biswanath Ghat Water way terminal, Tezpur Water way terminal Economic Nodes (11) : Numaligarh Industrial Area, Jorhat DIC, IIDC Titabor, Industrial Area Junakinagar, Industrial Estate Nagaon, IIDC Demow, Industrial Estate Sivasagar, IIDC Naltali, Industrial Area Dolabari, Mini Industrial Area Biswanath, MMLP Jogighopa.Social Nodes (03) : 1 Tribal district – Dima Hasao; 02 Aspirations Districts-Udalguri & DarrangTourist Nodes (02) : Kaziranga National Park & Deopahar Archaeological Site Major Cities / Towns Connected Numaligarh, Tezpur, Gohpur Dibrugarh in Assam & Itanagar In Arunachal Pradesh Employment Generation Potential 80 Lakhs Man-Days of Direct & In-direct Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT) in FY-25 Estimated at 4680 Passenger Car Units (PCU)
