Context:
• The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved the construction of India’s first underwater road-cum-rail tunnel under the Brahmaputra River in Assam, aimed at improving connectivity in the Northeast and supporting the Act East Policy.
Key Highlights:
Project Details
• The project is a 34-km four-lane connectivity corridor.
• It includes a 15.8-km twin-tube tunnel under the Brahmaputra River.
• The tunnel will connect:
- Gohpur (NH-15) in Biswanath district
- Numaligarh (NH-715) in Golaghat district.
Cost and Implementation
• Estimated project cost: ₹18,662 crore.
• Implemented under the Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) mode.
Connectivity Benefits
• The current route between Gohpur and Numaligarh is about 240 km.
• After the tunnel construction:
- Distance will reduce to 34 km.
- Travel time will drop from around 6 hours to 20 minutes.
Environmental and Logistical Advantages
• The tunnel will bypass the existing route through Kaziranga National Park and Biswanath town.
• This will reduce:
- Traffic congestion
- Wildlife disturbance in the Kaziranga region.
Multi-Modal Integration
• The project will integrate with:
- Rangia–Murkongselek Railway Section
- Furkating–Mariani loop line section.
• This enhances multi-modal road-rail connectivity in Northeast India.
Other Infrastructure Approvals
• The CCEA also approved:
- Three highway projects worth ₹11,079 crore.
- Three railway multi-tracking projects worth ₹18,509 crore.
Relevant Prelims Points:
- Brahmaputra River
- Originates from Angsi Glacier near Mansarovar in Tibet.
- Known as Yarlung Tsangpo in Tibet, Siang/Dihang in Arunachal Pradesh, and Brahmaputra in Assam.
- One of the largest braided rivers in the world.
- Engineering Procurement Construction (EPC)
- A project delivery model where a single contractor handles design, procurement, and construction.
- Act East Policy
- India’s strategic initiative launched in 2014 to strengthen economic, strategic, and cultural ties with Southeast Asia and the Indo-Pacific region.
- Multi-tracking in Railways
- Addition of extra railway tracks on an existing line to increase capacity and reduce congestion.
- Kaziranga National Park
- Located in Assam.
- UNESCO World Heritage Site and habitat of the one-horned rhinoceros.
Relevant Mains Points:
- Strategic Connectivity in Northeast India
- Improved infrastructure strengthens integration of the Northeast with the mainland economy.
- Facilitates cross-border trade with Southeast Asia.
- Boost to Act East Policy
- Enhanced connectivity supports India’s trade corridors with ASEAN countries.
- Economic Development and Tourism
- Infrastructure improvements can boost tourism, logistics, and regional economic growth.
- Environmental Considerations
- By bypassing Kaziranga, the project may reduce vehicular disturbance and wildlife accidents.
- However, tunnel construction must follow strict ecological safeguards.
- Way Forward
- Ensure sustainable infrastructure development with ecological safeguards.
- Strengthen road-rail multimodal transport networks in the Northeast.
- Integrate projects with regional trade corridors under Act East and BIMSTEC initiatives.
UPSC Relevance:
• GS Paper 1 – Indian Geography (River systems, Northeast region).
• GS Paper 3 – Infrastructure development and regional connectivity.
• GS Paper 2 – India’s Act East Policy and regional integration.