CCEA approves India’s first underwater road-cum-rail tunnel project

The Government of India has approved the country’s first underwater twin-tube road-cum-rail tunnel project beneath the Brahmaputra River in Assam, marking a major boost to connectivity and infrastructure in the Northeast.

Project Details

• Approved by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs.
• Total length: 33.7 km, including a 15.79-km twin-tube tunnel under the river.
• Cost: ₹18,662 crore.
• Mode: Engineering Procurement Construction (EPC).
• Connectivity: Between Gohpur on NH-15 and Numaligarh on NH-715.

Impact on Connectivity

• Distance reduced from 240 km to 34 km.
• Travel time reduced from 6 hours to 20 minutes.
• Benefits expected for Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, and other Northeastern states.

Strategic and Economic Significance

• Improved freight movement and reduced logistics costs.
• Stronger connectivity between major economic centres.
• Boost to trade, tourism, and industrial growth.
• Around 80 lakh person-days of employment generation.
• Important strategic infrastructure in a sensitive border region.

The project is expected to be the world’s second underwater road-cum-rail tunnel, highlighting India’s growing capability in large-scale infrastructure engineering.

What is EPC Mode?

Engineering Procurement Construction (EPC) is a project delivery model where a single contractor handles:

• Engineering
• Procurement
• Construction

Also called a Lump Sum Turnkey (LSTK) contract, EPC projects improve coordination, reduce delays, and ensure cost efficiency since one contractor is responsible for the entire project lifecycle.