Guwahati, July 19: The construction of a second rail-cum-road bridge over the Brahmaputra River at Saraighat in Guwahati is expected to begin shortly, with the tender process nearing finalisation, according to a Northeast Frontier Railway spokesperson.

Sanctioned in the 2023–24 fiscal year as part of the doubling of the Agthori–Kamakhya railway line, the project carries an estimated cost of Rs 1,473.77 crore and is slated for completion by December 2029.

Detailed estimates were approved by the Railway Board in February 2024, followed by the finalisation of the design drawing and report in March 2025, clearing key pre-construction milestones.

Geotechnical investigations for both substructure and superstructure design have concluded, and an EPC tender covering bridge works, approach roads, rail viaducts, earthwork and ancillary works has been floated, with finalisation imminent.

The 7.062-km project includes a 1.3-km steel composite girder bridge over the Brahmaputra, featuring a double-line railway track on the lower deck and a three-lane roadway with footpaths on the upper deck.

Officials anticipate that the new bridge will significantly boost line capacity, support industrial growth and create substantial employment opportunities for both skilled and unskilled workers in the region.

The existing Saraighat rail-cum-road bridge, the first railway link to India’s northeastern region, was inaugurated by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in 1963, with goods train services having commenced in 1962.