Cabinet approves twin tube rail-cum-road tunnel under Brahmaputra river

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved construction of India’s first twin-tube underwater rail-cum-road tunnel beneath the Brahmaputra River at a total capital cost of ₹18,662 crore in Assam. 

Reacting to the development, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday described the Union Cabinet’s decision as a “historic milestone” for the state and the entire Northeast. 

Once completed, the corridor will reduce the distance between Numaligarh and Gohpur from nearly 240 km to just 34 km. Travel time, which currently takes around six hours, will be cut by nearly 95% to about 20 minutes.

The tunnel will also mark a major milestone in Assam’s rail and road infrastructure. It will become the state’s fourth railway crossing over the Brahmaputra — with three existing bridges and this being the first tunnel — further easing passenger and goods movement across the river.

(This story was taken from syndicated feed and was only edited for style by Gujarat Samachar Digital team)