Elections are scheduled to be held in Assam this year. Being an election year, all political parties are focused on Assam. The central government is also continuously making various announcements regarding Assam. In this series, the Modi government is planning to gift infrastructure projects worth over ₹40,000 crore to the election-bound state of Assam.
Chief among these gifts from the Modi government is the ₹19,000 crore Brahmaputra road-cum-rail tunnel, which will connect Gohpur to Numaligarh. This project will reduce travel time from 6.5 hours to 30 minutes and strengthen the connectivity and strategic security of the Northeast region.
Decisions may be made in the final meeting of South Block
The final Cabinet meeting is scheduled to be held today in South Block. Some major infrastructure-related decisions are expected to be made there. Cabinet approval is likely before PM Modi’s visit to Assam tomorrow. Several important infrastructure projects costing over ₹40,000 crore may be approved.
The most prominent project among these is the proposed road-cum-rail tunnel under the Brahmaputra River in the election-bound state of Assam, costing approximately ₹19,000 crore. This project is considered crucial for regional connectivity and strategic importance.
Tunnel to be built under the Brahmaputra
According to sources, this tunnel will be built under the Brahmaputra. It will connect Gohpur in Assam with Numaligarh. The detailed project report (DPR) for the project has already been approved by an inter-ministerial committee. The proposed tunnel will have a twin-tube structure, with one tube for road traffic and the other for rail operations.
Upon completion, the travel time between the two locations is expected to be reduced from approximately six and a half hours to approximately 30 minutes. This project will enhance connectivity not only in Assam but also in the entire Northeast region. It will strengthen links with states like Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur. This tunnel is also considered strategically important from a defense and disaster management perspective.
Decisions on other road and railway projects are also expected to be taken in today’s cabinet meeting. The total cost is more than Rs 40 thousand crore.
