GUWAHATI: The BJP-led NDA government in the Centre headed by Narendra Modi Narendra Modi has given an in-principal approval to construct a strategic tunnel below the Brahmaputra river in Assam.
The tunnel will give an all-weather connectivity between Assam and Arunachal Pradesh beating the vagaries of nature that often disrupt communication between the two strategic Northeastern states especially during monsoon moths.
This four lane underwater tunnel connecting Gohpur town (on the north bank) and Numaligarh town (south bank) in Assam will help in rapid movement of military transport and supplies. The transport vehicles would be able to cruise at a speed of 80 Km/h while using this tunnel.
The construction of the 14.85 km long tunnel is expected to begin by December of this year and will be executed by the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHAIDCL) along with Louis Berger. It will be built in three phases.
The Indian Army had suggested the construction of a tunnel to hedge against bridges being targeted by enemy forces. There two bridges one at Koliabhomora in Tezpur and another at Bogibeel in Dibrugarh that connect south bank of the river to north bank and one has to cross one of those bridges to reach frontier state of Arunachal Pradesh through Assam.
