Guwahati, Feb 13: The Union Cabinet is poised to take a landmark infrastructure decision on Wednesday, with approval expected for a Rs 18,600-crore road-cum-rail tunnel under the Brahmaputra River in poll-bound Assam. The project, reported by India Today, is slated to be cleared during one of the last Cabinet meetings chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at South Block before the shift to the new Secretariat complex.
If sanctioned, the initiative will be India’s first twin-tube underwater tunnel designed to accommodate both vehicular traffic and railway lines. The corridor will link Gohpur on the north bank of the Brahmaputra with Numaligarh on the south, slashing current travel time from nearly four hours to just 30–35 minutes. Officials emphasise that the tunnel will not only enhance civilian mobility but also carry strategic significance, enabling faster troop and logistics movement given Assam’s proximity to international borders and the Siliguri Corridor, commonly referred to as the “Chicken’s Neck.”
The project aligns with the Centre’s decade-long focus on strengthening connectivity in the Northeast, complementing existing road, rail, and bridge initiatives. If realised, the Brahmaputra tunnel would rank among the country’s largest underwater transport infrastructure ventures.
The announcement also coincides with a politically sensitive period, as Assam heads to assembly polls. Observers suggest that the tunnel could serve as a transformative development, boosting regional trade, improving defence preparedness, and significantly enhancing accessibility across the riverine districts.
