Last Updated on February 16, 2026 12:28 am by INDIAN AWAAZ
Staff Reporter
The Centre has approved the construction of the country’s first underwater twin tube road-cum-rail tunnel project that will be built under the Brahmaputra River in Assam.
The 33.7-kilometre-long four-lane access-controlled Greenfield connectivity project, which will include a 15.79-kilometre twin tube tunnel under the river, has been approved by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA).
The infrastructure project will be developed for 18,662 crore rupees in Engineering procurement Construction (EPC) mode.
The stretch will connect Gohpur on NH-15 and Numaligarh on NH-715 in Assam, cutting short the distance between the two Assam cities to just 34 kilometres from the current 240 kilometres.
The travel time will be reduced to just 20 minutes from six hours now.
The project will provide significant benefit to Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and other North -Eastern States.
This will enhance the efficiency of freight movement, reducing logistics cost and driving socio-economic growth in the region. It will be the second underwater Road cum Rail tunnel in world.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a social media post, hailed the project’s role in accelerating growth in the entire Northeast.
He said, the transformative project will enhance connectivity, reduce logistics costs and accelerate growth across Assam and the entire Northeast.
Upon completion, the project will play a pivotal role in strategic considerations, regional economic growth, strengthening connectivity between major economic centers and opening new avenues for trade and industrial development.
The project will also generate approximately 80 Lakhs person-days of direct and indirect employment, and will open new avenues of growth, development and prosperity in surrounding regions.
The government also approved several other projects related to railways, roads, infrastructure and connectivity.
The Cabinet gave nod to three multitracking rail projects covering 12 districts across the states of Delhi, Haryana, Maharashtra and Karnataka.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said the project will strengthen rail infrastructure, reduce logistic cost and create job opportunities for youth.
These projects include Kasara-Manmad third and fourth line; Delhi – Ambala third and fourth line; and Ballari – Hosapete third and fourth line.
The proposed multi-tracking project will enhance connectivity to approximately 3,902 villages, with a population of about 97 lakhs.