Centre Clears India’s First Underwater Road-rail Tunnel in Assam

08 Jan 2026 CW Team

An inter-ministerial panel chaired by the Expenditure Secretary has granted in-principle approval for the construction of a 15.8-km-long twin-tube underwater tunnel between Gohpur and Numaligarh. One of the two tubes will house a single railway track, making it the country’s first underwater tunnel designed for both road and rail transport.

Officials said the project has been conceived to ensure faster mobilisation of security forces and military equipment during emergencies, while also improving connectivity to Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and other northeastern states. Once operational, the tunnel is expected to reduce travel time between Gohpur and Numaligarh from nearly six-and-a-half hours to just about 30 minutes. The effective travel distance will also come down sharply from around 240 km to 34 km.

The overall project length, including the underwater tunnel, approach roads and railway infrastructure, will be 33.7 km. The estimated project cost stands at approximately Rs 18,600 crore. The twin tunnels will be unidirectional, with two lanes each, and will be constructed at a depth of nearly 32 metres below the deepest bed level of the Brahmaputra.

As per the proposed design, the tube carrying the railway line will not permit vehicular movement during train operations. Trains will run on electricity on a specially designed ballastless track.

The cost of the project will be shared by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, the Ministry of Railways and the Ministry of Defence. Officials said the proposal will now be placed before the Union Cabinet for final approval, which is expected ahead of the upcoming Assam Assembly elections. The project is targeted for completion within five years of the award of work.

The inclusion of a railway track, officials noted, has increased the project cost but will substantially enhance long-term connectivity and strategic capability in the region.

News source: Rediff

In a major infrastructure milestone, India is set to build its first underwater road-cum-rail tunnel across the Brahmaputra river in Assam, significantly strengthening strategic as well as civilian connectivity in the Northeast.An inter-ministerial panel chaired by the Expenditure Secretary has granted in-principle approval for the construction of a 15.8-km-long twin-tube underwater tunnel between Gohpur and Numaligarh. One of the two tubes will house a single railway track, making it the country’s first underwater tunnel designed for both road and rail transport.Officials said the project has been conceived to ensure faster mobilisation of security forces and military equipment during emergencies, while also improving connectivity to Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and other northeastern states. Once operational, the tunnel is expected to reduce travel time between Gohpur and Numaligarh from nearly six-and-a-half hours to just about 30 minutes. The effective travel distance will also come down sharply from around 240 km to 34 km.The overall project length, including the underwater tunnel, approach roads and railway infrastructure, will be 33.7 km. The estimated project cost stands at approximately Rs 18,600 crore. The twin tunnels will be unidirectional, with two lanes each, and will be constructed at a depth of nearly 32 metres below the deepest bed level of the Brahmaputra.As per the proposed design, the tube carrying the railway line will not permit vehicular movement during train operations. Trains will run on electricity on a specially designed ballastless track.The cost of the project will be shared by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, the Ministry of Railways and the Ministry of Defence. Officials said the proposal will now be placed before the Union Cabinet for final approval, which is expected ahead of the upcoming Assam Assembly elections. The project is targeted for completion within five years of the award of work.The inclusion of a railway track, officials noted, has increased the project cost but will substantially enhance long-term connectivity and strategic capability in the region.News source: Rediff

Infrastructure Transport

09 Jan 2026

India Becomes First to Produce Bio-Bitumen for Roads

India has become the first country in the world to commercially produce bio-bitumen for use in road construction, according to Road, Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari. Bitumen, a black and viscous hydrocarbon derived from crude oil, is a key binding material in road building, and the bio-based alternative is expected to significantly improve the sector’s environmental footprint.Addressing the CSIR Technology Transfer Ceremony in New Delhi, Mr Gadkari congratulated Council of Scientific and Industrial Research on achieving the milestone, noting that the initiative would help curb ..

Infrastructure Urban

09 Jan 2026

HILT Policy Seen Boosting Telangana Revenue Sharply

The Hyderabad Industrial Land Transformation (HILT) Policy is expected to generate around Rs 1.08 billion in revenue for the Telangana state exchequer, according to Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka Mallu. Speaking in the Telangana Legislative Assembly, he said the policy would be implemented within a six-month timeframe in a transparent manner, with uniform rules applicable to all stakeholders. Mr Vikramarka noted that without the HILT Policy, the state would have earned only about Rs 1.2 million per acre. Under the new framework, however, revenue is projected to rise sharply to Rs 70 ..

Infrastructure Urban

09 Jan 2026

India Post, MoRD Tie Up to Boost Rural Inclusion

The Department of Posts and the Ministry of Rural Development have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to accelerate rural transformation and expand financial, digital and logistics services for Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and rural households across India. The agreement was signed in the presence of Union Minister of Communications and Development of North Eastern Region Jyotiraditya M. Scindia and Union Minister of Rural Development and Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Shivraj Singh Chouhan. The collaboration aligns with the government’s “Dak Sewa, Jan Sewa” vision and seeks to repositi..