Assam CM pronounces rail-road tunnel underneath Brahmaputra river

A tunnel underneath the mighty Brahmaputra River will in spite of everything grow to be a truth, Assam leader minister Himanta Biswa Sarma introduced on Friday. He stated that the centre has licensed the undertaking, and tenders can be invited to organize DPR for the undertaking quickly. He knowledgeable {that a} tunnel can be built underneath the Brahmaputra at an estimated value of ₹6000 crore.

Addressing a public rally at Biswanath Chariali in Assam, Himanta Biswa Sarma stated he idea {that a} tunnel underneath the river used to be only a dream, and it is going to no longer grow to be a truth. However he used to be shocked all over a contemporary talk over with to Delhi, the place the union government informed him that the undertaking has been greenlighted. He stated that when a lot deliberation, it used to be made up our minds that the tunnel can be built between Gohpur at the north financial institution and Numaligarh within the south financial institution. It’s going to be a street cum rail tunnel.

Assam CM stated that the primary tenders for Detailed Mission File (DPR) can be opened on 4th July. ‘If the whole thing is going as deliberate, we might be able to get started the development all over the present tenure of my government,’ he stated. Sarma additional stated that PM Narendra Modi has already signed a report to glue the north and south banks of Brahmaputra via a tunnel. The tunnel will attach NH 15 at the north with NH 715 at the south.

Coming quickly – Assam’s first underwater tunnel %.twitter.com/4jmOTSBLhe

— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) June 24, 2023

The centre has entrusted NHIDCL (Nationwide Highways and Infrastructure Building Company Ltd.) with the undertaking. The NHIDCL has floated tenders to organize DPR and can get started pre-construction actions for the development of the tunnel quickly. 4-lane manner roads on each ends of the tunnel are a part of the undertaking.

Tunnel Uninteresting Gadget can be deployed for the primary tunnel underneath the river, whilst the open lower and canopy way can be used for the sections of the tunnels on each ends. The period of the primary tunnel can be 11.4 km, with a complete period of round 15 km.

Synthetic islands also are proposed at the northern and southern aspects of the river Brahmaputra, and the development zone can be created inside the islands to facilitate the development of the tunnel and likewise all over the operational section. The islands will act as bunds to forestall flood water from coming into the tunnels.

NHIDCL has already ready a Pre-Feasibility File for the tunnel undertaking. Then again, the document is just for a two-lane street tunnel and does no longer point out a rail tunnel. Due to this fact, vital adjustments within the DPR is anticipated from this document.

At this time, there are six bridges over the Brahmaputra, which come with dual bridges at Guwahati and Tezpur. 3 extra bridges at Dhubri, Guwahati and Majuli are underneath structure. Building of 2 extra bridges in Guwahati, on its japanese and western ends, will get started quickly, and Railway will construct two bridges at Guwahati and Tezpur. A number of different bridges are underneath the pipeline connecting the north and south banks of the Brahmaputra river around the state.

Then again, the bridges are noticed as susceptible in case of a conflict or primary terrorist actions within the area, and the safety status quo used to be taking into account a tunnel as another path. Connectivity around the Brahmaputra is important for the defence of the frontline at the border with China, and a tunnel is regarded as a lot more safe in comparison to a bridge over the river.

In keeping with earlier reviews, there can be 3 separate tunnels, one for street, the second for rail, and the 3rd one for emergency use together with army delivery. The tunnels, together with the 11.4 km lengthy primary tunnels, can be round 15 km lengthy and can be round 32 meters beneath the riverbed.

The proposal for a tunnel used to be at the start floated by means of the Border Roads Group (BRO), taking into account its strategic significance. BRO began surveys for the undertaking in 2014 and decided on two websites, Tezpur-Nagaon and Gohpur-Numaligarh. In 2020, the centre gave in-principle acclaim for the undertaking, and then detailed research had been performed, together with an airborne electromagnetic survey.

To start with, the Tezpur web site used to be favoured, because the river is narrower there, and Tezpur is house to the headquarters of the GOC 4 Corps of the Indian Military. Then again, later the Gohpur-Numaligarh location used to be decided on.

There are already two street bridges over the Brahmaputra at Tezpur, and a Railway bridge has been deliberate. Which may be the cause of no longer settling on the web site as each banks of the river are already neatly hooked up there. With the tunnel coming, the plan for a bridge between Gohpur and Numaligarh can be scrapped. In reality, the undertaking used to be behind schedule for the reason that centre used to be deliberating between the tunnel and the bridge, which might were a inexpensive possibility. The tunnel used to be licensed after a number of cupboard ministers supported the plan, taking into account its strategic significance.

The undertaking can be undertaken underneath the Particular Sped up Highway Building Programme (SARDP-NE) of the Union Ministry of Highway Shipping & Highways.