Assam is set to get a major infrastructure boost with the Railways awarding the contract for a new road-cum-rail bridge across the Brahmaputra River to L&T Construction Ltd, paving the way for a project expected to significantly improve both road and rail connectivity in the state.
The ambitious project, estimated to cost around Rs 1,400 crore (Rs 14 billion), is targeted for completion by 2029.
Railway officials said preliminary work has already begun following the completion of the tendering process earlier this year.
“The total cost of the project is Rs 1,400 crore, but if we look only at the bridge component, it is Rs 530 crore. We are trying to complete it by 2029,” says Kapinjal K Sharma, Chief Public Relations Officer, Northeast Frontier Railway.
According to railway officials, the project has received all necessary security clearances, while the tendering process was completed in April 2026.
“Preliminary works have already begun. Design work and geotechnical studies have been completed, while ground-level construction has started. Piling tests are currently underway,” adds Sharma.
Composite steel bridge.
The new bridge will come up alongside the existing crossings at Saraighat, where two bridges currently connect the north and south banks of the Brahmaputra — the iconic road-cum-rail Saraighat Bridge and a separate road bridge.
The proposed structure is expected to ease congestion on both the existing bridges while substantially enhancing the movement of passengers and freight across the river.
The bridge, approximately two kilometres long, will be built as a composite steel girder structure capable of carrying both road and rail traffic, making it one of the key infrastructure projects planned across the Brahmaputra.
To facilitate construction, railway authorities have also initiated eviction proceedings against alleged encroachers occupying railway land in Amingaon, where parts of the project infrastructure are proposed.
“The bridge will be approximately 2 km long and built as a composite steel girder structure supporting both road and rail infrastructure. Land acquisition and eviction-related processes are also being carried out smoothly,” says Sharma.