The railway passengers from the Northeast will have much faster connectivity with other Indian states after the announcement of a second railway bridge over the Brahmaputra in Guwahati.
The Second Rail-cum-Road Bridge at Saraighat over the Brahmaputra River has been sanctioned as part of the doubling of the Agthori–Kamakhya railway line under Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR). This major infrastructure project was sanctioned during the FY 2023–24 with a sanctioned estimate of Rs. 1,473.77 crore, and is targeted for completion by December 2029.
As part of the progress, detailed estimates have been sanctioned by the Railway Board in February 2024, and the Design Drawing & Report has been finalised and duly approved by the competent authority in March 2025. The geotechnical investigations have been completed for the design of the substructure & superstructure, and an EPC tender has been floated for the construction of the bridge, including approach roads, rail viaducts, earthwork and ancillary works. The tender is expected to be finalised soon, and construction works will start immediately after the same.
The project includes the construction of a 7.062 km-long stretch from Agthori to Kamakhya, featuring a 1.3 km-long steel composite girder bridge over the Brahmaputra River. The upcoming bridge will be designed with a double-line railway track on the lower deck and a three-lane roadway with footpaths on the upper deck. The north-end approach of 2.694 km will connect to Agthori station, while the south-end approach of 3.07 km will connect to Kamakhya station.
Once completed, the new bridge will significantly enhance line capacity in the section, which is poised for industrial growth. Besides improving connectivity, the project is expected to create substantial employment opportunities for both skilled and unskilled workers in the surrounding areas.
The Saraighat Bridge is the first rail-cum-road bridge of the region over the river Brahmaputra in Guwahati. The construction of the steel bridge started in 1958 and has been serving the people of the region and the nation since 1962.
