Assam’s ambitious Rs 60 billion underwater tunnel project, India’s first to be built beneath a major river, is awaiting Union Cabinet approval, according to a report by The Times of India. The proposed tunnel will connect Numaligarh and Gohpur under the Brahmaputra River, significantly improving road connectivity and strengthening strategic infrastructure near Arunachal Pradesh, which borders China.

Estimated to take five years to complete, the project marks a major milestone in India’s transport and defence infrastructure planning. “The Detailed Project Report (DPR) is ready and will shortly be placed before the Union Cabinet for approval,” a senior Assam government official told ToI. The Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure, chaired by the Prime Minister, will grant final clearance.

The DPR, prepared by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) and technically reviewed by the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) through its Project Appraisal and Technical Scrutiny Committee (PATS), estimates the total tunnel length at 33.7 kilometres, including the connecting roadways.

NHIDCL will be responsible for executing the project, which has already received endorsement from the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL). However, the Board has called for further scientific studies on soil stability, groundwater impact, sediment behaviour, and seismic safety to ensure environmental and structural resilience.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma expressed enthusiasm for the project, saying,

“I once thought this was just a dream. One day in Delhi, I was told that we could have a tunnel under the Brahmaputra. Now, the two banks — North and South — will come closer than ever.”