Guwahati: Marking the beginning of a historic chapter in Assam’s infrastructure development, the state is set to receive several ambitious projects worth thousands of crores of rupees. Among them, the most significant is India’s first and the world’s second underwater rail-cum-road tunnel to be constructed beneath the Brahmaputra River (India First Underwater Rail-cum-Road Tunnel).
Following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Assam, Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma, while addressing a press conference on Sunday, made this major announcement. He stated that the twin-tube tunnel project is to be constructed at an estimated cost of ₹18,662 crore.
Speaking about the landmark project, the Chief Minister said, “The twin-tube underwater tunnel to be built in Assam will be India’s first underwater rail-cum-road tunnel and the second in the world. The tunnel will be constructed 57 metres beneath the Brahmaputra River. It will consist of twin tubes — one for rail, one for road — along with an additional tube.”
The 34-kilometre-long corridor will connect Gohpur and Numaligarh, with a railway line running through the middle. According to the Chief Minister, “This project will now also connect Central Assam.”
New Face of Development with Multi-Crore Projects
Highlighting other major projects approved by the Central Government, Dr. Sarma said, “Assam has received approval for several projects from the Centre. Among them is the Guwahati Ring Road project, for which ₹5,729 crore will be jointly spent by the Government of India and the Government of Assam.”
Additionally, ₹6,957 crore will be spent by the Central Government on the Kaziranga Elevated Corridor project.
In another major announcement, the Prime Minister is expected to lay the foundation stone in March for the Silchar–Shillong–Guwahati High-Speed Corridor, which will be one of the largest projects undertaken by the Government of India in Assam. The ₹22,864 crore project will reduce travel time between Silchar and Guwahati to four-and-a-half to five hours.
As part of broader transport infrastructure development, an elevated corridor from Guwahati Airport to Jalukbari, to be built at a cost of ₹1,500 crore, and a four-lane highway project from Baihata Chariali to Tezpur, estimated at ₹14,000 crore, are both in the final stages of Central Government approval.
Beyond road transport, special emphasis is also being placed on religious tourism and the health sector. The foundation stone for the Kamakhya Ropeway project in Guwahati will be laid during the Prime Minister’s next visit.
Meanwhile, work worth ₹2200 crore has begun at Guwahati Medical College, and a ₹600 crore proposal for Dibrugarh Medical College is currently under consideration for approval, the Chief Minister informed during the press conference.