New Delhi: In a landmark push to transform connectivity in the Northeast, the Union Cabinet has approved a ₹18,662-crore greenfield corridor between Gohpur and Numaligarh in Assam, featuring India’s first combined road-and-rail tunnel beneath the Brahmaputra River.
The ambitious project, cleared by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), will be executed under the engineering-procurement-construction (EPC) model, according to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.
Watch this video to get a visual idea on how the upcoming Twin tube Tunnel connecting Numaligarh and Gohpur will look like.
This project is being made for the first time in India and we are eternally thankful to Adarniya @narendramodi ji for his support in turning this vision… pic.twitter.com/gFVWmkkYtT
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) February 15, 2026
Engineering Milestone Under Brahmaputra
The project’s centrepiece is a 15.79-km twin-tube underwater tunnel, part of an approximately 33.7-km four-lane access-controlled corridor linking NH-15 at Gohpur with NH-715 at Numaligarh. Once completed, it will mark India’s first underwater road-cum-rail tunnel and place the country among a select group globally with such integrated infrastructure.
Distance and Travel Time to Plunge
At present, travel between Numaligarh and Gohpur involves a circuitous 240-km journey via Kaliabhomora near Silghat, taking close to six hours and passing through ecologically sensitive stretches including Kaziranga National Park and Biswanath.
🚧🌊🚆🇮🇳 Cabinet clears Rs 18,662 cr underwater road-rail tunnel under Brahmaputra in Assam https://t.co/5jjKXAb4Ot#CabinetDecision #Brahmaputra #Assam #InfrastructurePush #UnderwaterTunnel #RailAndRoad #BigProjects #IndiaBuilds pic.twitter.com/zXVCQOmXda
— Economic Times (@EconomicTimes) February 14, 2026
The new corridor is expected to dramatically transform mobility by:
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Reducing distance to about 34 km
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Cutting travel time to roughly 20–30 minutes
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Easing traffic load on environmentally fragile zones
Big Boost for Northeast Economy
Officials say the project will significantly strengthen multimodal connectivity across Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and other northeastern states. By improving freight efficiency and lowering logistics costs, the corridor is expected to accelerate socio-economic growth in the region.
The infrastructure push will also integrate key transport networks — including major railway stations, airports and inland waterways — creating a more seamless logistics ecosystem in the Northeast.
Strategic Edge for the Region
Beyond civilian benefits, the tunnel is expected to enhance strategic mobility in India’s eastern frontier, enabling faster movement of goods and security forces across the Brahmaputra.
The Cabinet approval comes amid the Centre’s broader push to upgrade critical infrastructure in Assam and the Northeast. Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi carried out a landmark landing at the region’s first emergency landing field, underlining the government’s parallel focus on strengthening strategic readiness.
Once operational, the Brahmaputra underwater corridor is expected to open faster trade routes, attract fresh industrial investment and reshape connectivity across the Northeast.
