Guwahati: Major infrastructure projects worth Rs 80,000 crore are set to transform Assam’s road transport sector, Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari announced during the Advantage Assam 2.0 summit held on February 26, 2025. This ambitious funding is aimed at enhancing connectivity and boosting the state's economic potential.
Highlights of these announcements include the construction of the much-anticipated Guwahati Ring Road project, which will span 55 kilometers and consist of four to six lanes. Gadkari expressed optimism, stating, "Very soon, projects worth Rs 80,000 crore will start. I congratulate the people of Assam." This project alone will require Rs 5,800 crore and is expected to be completed by December 2027.
The Guwahati Ring Road project also features the construction of another significant structure—a 3-kilometer six-lane bridge over the Brahmaputra River, connecting Kuruwa and Narengi. Gadkari noted how Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had persistently advocated for this bridge prior to its announcement, indicating the readiness for its construction as all formalities, including the finalization of tender, have been completed.
Another notable announcement involved the initiative to build a Rs 25,000 crore road, which will facilitate faster travel between Guwahati and Panchgram by providing a direct route via Barapani, Meghalaya. This new roadway is anticipated to significantly cut down travel time to approximately five hours.
Among the plans, the dredging and preparation for the construction of a 12-kilometer underwater tunnel between Gohpur and Numaligarh was highlighted, with Gadkari reporting its considerable value of Rs 15,000 crore. This modern tunnel will drastically reduce the travel time from Numaligarh to Gohpur from six hours to just 25 minutes, as it is set to be constructed beneath the Brahmaputra River.
Details were also provided about the development of new connections including, worth Rs 3,225 crore, aimed at enhancing connectivity between Jagiroad and Bhutan, through Bhairabkunda, and the Kamakhya Ropeway Project, which will boost access to one of Assam's notable pilgrimage sites.
Presently, Gadkari mentioned, projects costing about Rs 60,000 crore under the road ministry are already underway across Assam. One such example is the Bilasipra to Guwahati project, amounting to Rs 8,300 crore and covering 225 kilometers, which is expected to be completed by October 2027.
On the following day, Union Minister for Ports, Shipping, and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, took the stage to announce more investments, particularly the allocation exceeding Rs 4,800 crore to revamp Assam's inland waterways sector. Sonowal emphasized the necessity to transition to environmentally friendly vessels with the 'Harit Nauka' scheme, which will be bolstered with financial support exceeding Rs 1,500 crore by 2030, underscoring the government's commitment to sustainable transport.
He detailed plans for cruise tourism and improving cargo handling capacity by 2027-28 along the riverine routes labeled National Waterways 2 and 16. Together with shore facilities being constructed at strategic points like Silghat and Neamati Ghat, this shift aims to leverage Assam's extensive river networks for economic growth. "With its extensive network of riverine systems, inland waterways offer economical and efficient transport," Sonowal remarked.
Sonowal also mentioned the allocation for development of ship repair facilities at Pandu, aimed at ensuring comprehensive support for riverine transport. "Advantage Assam has served as a catalyst for the region's economic revival," he stated, promoting the initiative as providing businesses with enhanced opportunities.
The government has entrusted the responsibility of dredging operations, ensuring proper maintenance of navigational routes, to the Dredging Corporation of India, ensuring sustainability and efficiency of operations within these waterways up to 2026-27.
Events held under the Advantage Assam initiative represent not just infrastructural progress but also signify larger economic goals, as the transformation of transportation modalities can lead to significant economic upliftment within the state and beyond. Both Gadkari and Sonowal’s announcements speak volumes about the government’s commitment to establishing Assam as a strategic hub for trade and transport, contributing meaningfully to India's broader ambitions of becoming Atmanirbhar by 2047.