Works of 2nd Saraighat Rail-Cum-Road Bridge across the Brahmaputras soon to start

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 finalized and duly approved by 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 finalized soon and construction works will be started immediately after the same.

Kapinjal Kishore Sharma, Chief Public Relations Officer though a press statement said that the project includes 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.