Guwahati: In two major back-to-back steps to boost defence preparedness and connectivity in the northeastern, Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs on Friday cleared construction of the country’s first underwater road-cum-rail tunnel under the Brahmaputra river and hours later on Saturday morning PM Narendra Modi inaugurated the region’s first Emergency Landing Facility on a national highway in Assam.Both these infrastructures described as a critical asset for national security are between 200 to 300 km south of the LAC with China.Modi made a historic landing at the ELF on a stretch of NH-37 at Moran in Dibrugarh district aboard IAF’s C-130J Super Hercules aircraft.Later, several frontline IAF fighter aircraft — including Rafale, Sukhoi and Tejas — showcased their capabilities with precision landings in an air show, underscoring India’s growing air power and operational readiness.In a post on X after the inauguration, the PM said “it is a matter of immense pride that the Northeast gets an Emergency Landing Facility. From a strategic point of view and during times of natural disasters, this facility is of great importance.”The ELF is located just 300 km from the LAC and will act as a strategic and multi-functional runway for IAF fighter jets and transport aircraft, strengthening defence, logistics and disaster response.While addressing BJP workers in Guwahati later, Modi said, “When I landed on a highway instead of a runway, it was history in the making. There was a time when the northeast was known only for worn-out roads. That was then. Today, these highways are not just for vehicles, they also serve as runways for fighter aircrafts.”“This is not just a landing facility but evidence that new Bharat is preparing in every way for its security,” he added.The underwater road-cum-rail tunnel, only the second such facility in the world after China’s Taihu Lake tunnel, is part of the Rs 18,662 crore approved project. It comprises a four-lane greenfield highway linking Gohpur on NH-15, on the north bank of the Brahmaputra, to Numaligarh on NH-715 on the southern bank and features the 15.79 km-long tunnel beneath the river along with provision of railway infrastructure in one of the tubes.Located less than 200 km from the LAC with China, the tunnel is expected to play a pivotal role in strategic considerations, while boosting connectivity across Assam and the northeast.The project alignment integrates with Rangia-Mukongselek railway section on the Gohpur side and Furkating-Mariani loop line section on the Numaligarh side.Upon completion, the project will play a pivotal role in strategic considerations as well as regional economic growth, strengthening connectivity between major economic centres and opening new avenues for trade and industrial development.These add to India’s recent security infrastructure drive, including the Arunachal Frontier Highway, which is a 1,748 km stretch from Bomdila in the west to Kibithoo in the east, running parallel to the LAC. Being built with an estimated cost of Rs 42,000 crore, this NH-913, once completed, will strengthen defence preparedness by opening access to sensitive border regions, connect remote villages to the national mainstream. It will also drive trade, tourism and agriculture. Other projects have already reshaped connectivity in Arunachal. The Sela Tunnel and upgraded Sela Pass Road now ensure all-weather access to Tawang.
