Cabinet Clears ₹8,970 Crore Guwahati–Tezpur Expressway Project

The highway will be developed under the Built-Operate-Transfer (BOT) Toll model and is expected to reduce travel time, improve road safety and support economic growth across the region.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved the construction of a 135.87-kilometre, four-lane access-controlled Guwahati–Tezpur Corridor on National Highway-15 in Assam, a major infrastructure project expected to improve connectivity across the state while strengthening transport links with Arunachal Pradesh.

Chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Cabinet cleared the project at an estimated cost of ₹8,970.20 crore. The highway will be developed under the Built-Operate-Transfer (BOT) Toll model and is expected to reduce travel time, improve road safety and support economic growth across the region.

Faster Travel and Better Road Connectivity

The new corridor is designed to significantly improve traffic movement by doubling average travel speeds and cutting journey times by nearly half. The Government said the upgraded highway will also reduce vehicle operating costs, improve fuel efficiency and make travel safer for commuters and commercial transport.

A key feature of the project is the construction of five major bypasses covering 58.7 kilometres, allowing traffic to avoid congested urban stretches in Baihata Chariali, Sipajhar, Kharupetia, Dekiajuli and Tezpur. These bypasses are expected to ease traffic pressure in densely populated areas while improving the overall efficiency of the highway network.

Major Infrastructure Features Included

The corridor will include an Emergency Landing Facility (ELF) measuring 4.9 kilometres on the Tezpur Bypass. The facility has been planned in coordination with the Indian Air Force and will provide additional strategic infrastructure while helping decongest the existing NH-27 corridor located on the southern side of the Brahmaputra River.

The project also includes the construction of 15 major bridges, 30 minor bridges, 19 flyovers, 46 underpasses and one elephant underpass on the Tezpur Bypass to support wildlife movement. Around 210 kilometres of service roads will be developed to ensure smooth local traffic movement alongside the access-controlled highway.

Boost for Economy, Tourism and Logistics

The upgraded corridor is expected to strengthen connectivity between Assam and Arunachal Pradesh while improving access to important industrial, tourism and logistics hubs. According to the Government, the highway will connect eight PM Gati Shakti economic nodes, including industrial parks, along with two aspirational districts of Darrang and Udalguri.

The improved road network will also provide easier access to major tourist destinations such as Maa Kamakhya Temple, Kaziranga National Park and Orang National Park. In addition, it will improve connectivity to three major railway stations, two airports and two inland waterway terminals, supporting faster movement of passengers and goods across Northeast India.

The Government said the project will play an important role in enhancing regional mobility, encouraging investment and supporting long-term economic development by creating a modern transport corridor that connects key commercial and social centres more efficiently.