First submerged road-rail tunnel to be built in India, mega corridor worth ₹18,662 crore approved

The Central Government has approved a Rs 18,662 crore mega infrastructure project that will take connectivity to new heights in North-East India. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved the construction of a four-lane, access-controlled greenfield corridor between Gohpur and Numaligarh in Assam. The biggest feature of this project is that it will be the country’s first submerged road-cum-rail tunnel under the Brahmaputra river.

This tunnel will be the first such project in India and the second in the world, in which an integrated submerged tunnel of both road and rail will be built. The project will be constructed under the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) model, informed the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.

At present the distance between Numaligarh (NH-715) to Gohpur (NH-15) is about 240 kilometers, which takes about six hours to cover. The route passes through Kaliabhomaura (NH-52) near Silghat and passes through busy and sensitive areas like Kaziranga National Park and Biswanath. After the construction of the new tunnel and corridor, there will be a significant reduction in distance and travel time, which will make transportation faster and easier.

Boosting trade and economy:

This project will ease freight transportation and help in reducing logistics costs. The proposed corridor will connect 11 economic nodes, 3 social nodes, 2 tourism centers and 8 logistics nodes. Apart from this, connectivity will also be established with four major railway stations, two airports and two inland waterways. This is expected to provide economic impetus to Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and other north-eastern states.

The importance of the corridor is also very important from the strategic point of view. It will strengthen connectivity in border areas and facilitate movement of defense forces. Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had demonstrated its capability by landing at the Northeast’s first emergency landing field in Moran after taking off from Chabua. This landing field can handle fighter and transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force in case of emergency.

The government believes that improved roads and multi-dimensional infrastructure will boost economic growth, strengthen security and new business opportunities in the region. This project is being considered a historic step towards connecting North-East India more strongly with the national mainstream.

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