The Centre has sanctioned a Rs 18,662-crore initiative to construct a four-lane, access-controlled greenfield route connecting Gohpur and Numaligarh, which will include the nation's first underwater road-and-rail tunnel beneath the Brahmaputra River in Assam.
Currently, the approximately 240-km journey from Numaligarh on National Highway 715 to Gohpur on NH-15 requires nearly six hours via Kaliabhomora near Silghat on NH-52. The current pathway traverses Numaligarh, Kaziranga National Park, and Biswanath town. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved the initiative on Saturday.
The four-lane route will be constructed under the engineering-procurement-construction (EPC) model, as stated by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. This will mark India's first underwater road-and-rail tunnel and is only the second such project globally. Once operational, the corridor is anticipated to greatly shorten travel time and enhance connectivity across Assam and its neighbouring northeastern states, including Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland.
Expected Connectivity
The initiative is designed to ensure uninterrupted connectivity to vital economic, social, and logistics centres throughout Assam. It will incorporate 11 economic hubs, three social hubs, two tourist spots, and eight logistics centres.
The corridor will also improve multi-modal connectivity by connecting four key railway stations, two airports, and two inland waterways, enhancing freight efficacy and lowering logistics expenses.
Officials indicated that the initiative will be instrumental in bolstering regional economic advancement, enhancing links between primary economic zones, and creating new prospects for trade and industrial growth in the Northeast.
Strategic significance
The drive for enhanced infrastructure coincides with a growing strategic emphasis on the Northeast. Just a day prior, India achieved a landmark, constructing an emergency landing strip and landing a C-130J aircraft on the Dibrugarh-Moran segment of a national highway in Assam.
This emergency landing site is deemed strategically important, especially due to its closeness to the Line of Actual Control with China. It is equipped to handle frontline combat jets and transport planes of the Indian Air Force during crises. Collectively, these initiatives highlight the government's twofold aim of enhancing connectivity and fortifying strategic infrastructure in the Northeast region.
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