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The government has granted in-principle approval for India's first underwater road-rail tunnel beneath the Brahmaputra River in Assam, connecting Gohpur and Numaligarh. The project will feature twin tubes, one for road traffic and the other for rail movement, as part of a 33.7 km corridor including approach links. With an estimated cost of around INR 18,600 crore, the tunnel aims to reduce travel time from over six hours to about 30 minutes while strengthening civilian connectivity and defence logistics in the Northeast.
The central government's inter-ministerial panel has approved the proposal for an underwater road-rail tunnel beneath the Brahmaputra River in Assam, marking a major step toward improving connectivity in the Northeast. The tunnel will link Gohpur in Sonitpur district with Numaligarh in Golaghat district and is designed to serve both civilian transport and strategic defence requirements. Advertisement
The project includes two separate tubes running approximately 15.8 km under the riverbed. One tube will carry an electrified single railway track, while the second will be used for road traffic with two unidirectional lanes. The overall length of the corridor, including approach roads and rail links on both sides, will be about 33.7 km.
As per the design, road movement will be temporarily halted during train operations to maintain safety standards. The tunnel alignment is planned at around 32 metres below the deepest level of the riverbed, requiring specialised construction techniques to address water pressure and seismic sensitivity in the region.
Once operational, the tunnel is expected to cut travel time between Gohpur and Numaligarh from more than six hours to roughly 30 minutes. The effective distance will reduce sharply from around 240 km to nearly 34 km, offering faster access to key areas in Assam and neighbouring states such as Arunachal Pradesh.
The estimated project cost stands at about INR 18,600 crore. Funding is expected to be shared among the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, the Ministry of Railways and the Ministry of Defence. The proposal will now move to the Union Cabinet for final approval, after which construction is expected to take close to five years.
The inclusion of a rail link was added at the planning stage to enhance the project's strategic value, building on earlier infrastructure efforts in the region aimed at improving mobility, economic integration and security preparedness.
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