In a landmark decision for national infrastructure and strategic connectivity, the Indian government has approved the construction of the country's first twin-tube underwater tunnel designed for both vehicles and trains. This ambitious project will be built under the mighty Brahmaputra river in Assam, promising to revolutionize travel and logistics in the northeastern region.
Project Details and Strategic Importance
An inter-ministerial panel, headed by the expenditure secretary, has given the green signal for this engineering marvel. The 15.8 km twin-tube tunnel will connect Gohpur and Numaligarh in Assam. One tube will be dedicated to a two-lane road for vehicular traffic, while the other will house a single railway track with ballistic protection, running on electricity. A key safety design feature ensures there will be no vehicular movement when a train is passing through its dedicated tube.
The entire project, spanning 33.7 km and including approach roads and railway links, is estimated to cost around Rs 18,600 crore. The funding will be shared by the road transport, railways, and defence ministries, highlighting its multifaceted strategic value. The tunnels will be constructed 32 meters below the deepest bed level of the Brahmaputra.
Massive Reduction in Travel Time and Distance
The impact on connectivity will be transformative. Once completed in an estimated five years after the award of work, the tunnel will drastically cut the travel time between Gohpur and Numaligarh from the current six-and-a-half hours to just 30 minutes. The distance will be shortened from a circuitous 240 km to a direct 34 km.
This breakthrough is not just about convenience; it is a major strategic asset. The tunnel will enable the faster movement of armed forces and ammunition to the sensitive eastern borders, addressing logistical challenges in times of exigency. Furthermore, it will significantly enhance connectivity to Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, and other northeastern states, fostering economic growth and integration.
Approval Process and Broader Tunnel Plan
Officials stated that the project will now be placed before the Union Cabinet for final approval, a step that may occur before the upcoming Assam assembly polls. This project is part of a broader government initiative to build combined road-cum-rail tunnels where feasible.
Following a policy decision, the government identified three such strategic tunnels: across the Brahmaputra in Assam, in the North-East chicken neck corridor, and on the Maranahally-Addahole (Shiradi Ghat) stretch in Karnataka. The inclusion of the railway track in the Brahmaputra tunnel design is a primary reason for the increased project cost compared to an initially considered road-only tunnel, which was estimated at around Rs 14,900 crore.
This underwater tunnel represents a giant leap in India's infrastructure capabilities, blending civilian connectivity with robust defence preparedness for the northeastern frontier.
