A highly innovative underwater road and rail tunnel project is being proposed for Assam in India, the latest of several advanced transport infrastructure projects for the country. The project is expected to cost around $676 million, with a Detailed Project Report (DPR) having now been completed. India's road transport network is expanding quickly, with key highway, bridge and tunnel projects being carried out.
Construction of the new tunnel would take around five years if the go-ahead is given, linking Numaligarh and Gohpur. According to the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL), the tunnel and its connecting roads would measure nearly 34km in total. The tunnel would lie around 32m underneath a stretch of the Brahmaputra River.
The DPR was carried out for the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) by a division of the NHIDCL. As well as facilitating transport for the Assam area, the tunnel project would provide a key connection for India’s defence.
