Assam government will build the state’s first underwater tunnel between Gohpur and Numaligarh at a cost of Rs 6,000 crore.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced that the tender for the preparation of Detailed Project Report (DPR) will open in the next month.
It will be built under the Brahmaputra River and will be around 35 kilometres long.
The idea of an underwater tunnel arose from the many bridges built over the Brahmaputra River to facilitate the movement of both vehicles and railways.
Discussions were held to determine the location and it was decided that the tunnel would be built between Numaligarh and Gohpur.
The tender for the DPR will open on July 4 and Sarma expressed hope that work on the tunnel could begin during his tenure as chief minister.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the project, and once the tunnel is completed, it will bring the two banks, north and south, of the Brahmaputra river closer together.