News: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved construction of India’s first underwater twin tube road-cum-rail tunnel project.
About Twin Tube Road-Cum-Rail Tunnel Project
- It is India’s first underwater road-cum-rail tunnel project designed for integrated high-capacity transport connectivity.
- Location: The project will be built beneath the Brahmaputra River in Assam.
- Connectivity: It will connect Gohpur on NH-15 to Numaligarh on NH-715..
- Project Details
- Length: Total project length is 34 km, including a 15.79 km underwater tunnel.
- Cost: The total capital cost is Rs. 18,662 crore.
- Construction Mode: It will be built under the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) mode.
- Distance Reduction: The distance will reduce from 240 km to 34 km.
- Travel Time Reduction: Travel time will reduce from about 6 hours to 20 minutes.
- Key Features
- Twin Parallel Tunnels: Two tunnels enable smooth road and rail movement.
- Underwater Engineering: It will be India’s first underwater road-cum-rail tunnel and second in the world.
- Multimodal Integration: Integrates key railway sections – the Rangia-Mukongselek line under the Rangia Division of Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) on the Gohpur side and the Furkating-Mariani loop line under the Tinsukia Division of NFR on the Numaligarh side.
- Alternative route: It provides an alternative to the existing route that passes through the ecologically sensitive Kaziranga National Park.
- Significance: The project will improve connectivity, enhance freight efficiency, reduce logistics cost, boost tourism, and support economic and strategic growth in the Northeast region.
