Cabinet Approves ₹18,662-Crore Brahmaputra Road-Rail Tunnel Project to Boost Northeast Connectivity

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister NarendraModi, has approved the construction of a four-lane, access-controlled greenfield corridor from Gohpur on NH-15 to Numaligarh on NH-715 in Assam. The project, to be executed on an EPC basis at an estimated cost of ₹18,662 crore, includes a 15.79-km road-cum-rail tunnel beneath the Brahmaputra River.

At present, the 240-km journey between Numaligarh and Gohpur via the Kaliabhomora bridge near Silghat on NH-52 takes nearly six hours, passing through key locations such as Numaligarh, Kaziranga and Biswanath Town. The new greenfield corridor and underwater tunnel aim to significantly reduce travel time and distance, easing movement of passengers and freight across the region.

The tunnel will be India’s first underwater road-cum-rail tunnel and only the second such project globally. It is expected to deliver major connectivity benefits to Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and other northeastern states by improving logistics efficiency, lowering transportation costs and supporting socio-economic growth.

The alignment will integrate with two major National Highways (NH-15 and NH-715) and connect with two railway sections: the Rangia–Mukongselek section under Rangia Division on the Gohpur side and the Furkating–Mariani loop line under Tinsukia Division on the Numaligarh side. The corridor is designed to provide seamless connectivity to key economic, social and logistics hubs across Assam.

The project will link 11 economic nodes, three social nodes, two tourist destinations and eight logistics nodes. It will also enhance multimodal connectivity by linking four major railway stations, two airports and two inland waterways, facilitating faster and more efficient movement of goods and passengers.

Once completed, the corridor is expected to strengthen regional connectivity between major economic centres, support trade and industrial development, and generate about 80 lakh person-days of direct and indirect employment, contributing to long-term growth and prosperity in the Northeast.