India's First Underwater Road-Cum-Rail Tunnel Project Approved

The Union Cabinet has sanctioned an Rs 18,662-crore project to develop a four-lane, access-controlled greenfield corridor between Gohpur and Numaligarh in Assam. This includes India's first road-cum-rail tunnel under the Brahmaputra river. The project aims to bolster connectivity, enhance freight efficiency, and drive socio-economic growth in the region.

In a landmark decision, the Union Cabinet has greenlighted an ambitious Rs 18,662-crore infrastructure project in Assam designed to revolutionize transportation in the region.

This initiative includes the construction of India's first-ever road-cum-rail tunnel, stretching 15.79 km beneath the Brahmaputra river, connecting Gohpur and Numaligarh. With a focus on significant socio-economic benefits, the project is set to reduce logistics costs, improve freight movement, and bolster connectivity across northeastern states.

Slated to be developed under the engineering-procurement-construction model, this project promises enhanced multi-modal integration, linking vital economic and tourism nodes, and creating around 80 lakh person-days of employment. Expected to spur regional trade and industry, it signifies a strategic leap forward in the nation's infrastructural landscape.

(With inputs from agencies.)