India's First Underwater River Tunnel: Brahmaputra Breakthrough!

A four-lane road tunnel under the Brahmaputra River will connect Gohpur and Numaligarh in Assam, drastically reducing travel time from 6.5 hours to just 30 minutes by shortening the distance from 240 km to 34 km. This twin-tube, unidirectional underwater tunnel—the first of its kind in India beneath a major river—will enhance connectivity to Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, and other northeastern states.

The detailed project report (DPR) has been completed and technically appraised by the Project Appraisal and Technical Scrutiny Committee (PATSC) under the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation (NHIDCL), as stated by Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari in a written reply to the Lok Sabha.

Once the contract is awarded, the project will take five years to complete, aligning with India's broader infrastructure development goals. The Minister's statement follows a review by the Network Planning Group (NPG) on 14 March, which evaluated various infrastructure projects, including this tunnel.

News by Rahul Yelligetti.