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Second Saraighat Bridge to Expand Assam’s Northeast Connectivity
A new bridge will be built across the Brahmaputra River in Assam.
It will be called the Second Saraighat Rail-cum-Road Bridge.
Trains will use two tracks on the lower level.
Cars and other vehicles will use a three-lane road on the upper level.
A footpath will also be included.
Nearby railway tracks between Agthori and Kamakhya will be doubled.
This will give trains and vehicles more space to move.
The project is expected to make it easier to travel and transport goods around Guwahati and the Northeast.
Construction piling is planned to start in October 2026.
The Second Saraighat project combines a 1.3-kilometre rail-cum-road bridge with doubling of the 7.20-kilometre Agthori–Kamakhya railway line.
The new double-decker bridge will carry two railway lines below and a three-lane road with a footpath above.
Larsen & Toubro is executing the project after the railway-doubling work was sanctioned in 2024.
Engineering work and geotechnical investigations have progressed, while land, encroachment and utility-related challenges are being addressed.
Piling is targeted to begin in October 2026, with the project expected to improve passenger, freight and road connectivity across the Northeast.
- Who
- The Ministry of Railways, Northeast Frontier Railway, Larsen & Toubro and supporting state and local authorities are involved.
- What
- Construction of a second rail-cum-road bridge over the Brahmaputra and doubling of the Agthori–Kamakhya railway line.
- Where
- Across the Brahmaputra near Guwahati, with associated railway work between Agthori and Kamakhya stations in Assam.
- When
- The railway-doubling work was sanctioned in 2024, and piling is targeted to begin in October 2026.
- Why
- To increase rail and road capacity, improve passenger and freight movement, and strengthen multimodal connectivity across Assam and the Northeastern region.
Key facts
- Bridge length
- Approximately 1.3 kilometres
- Railway doubling
- 7.20 kilometres between Agthori and Kamakhya stations
- Bridge configuration
- Two railway lines on the lower deck and a three-lane road with a footpath above
- Existing bridge comparison
- The existing Saraighat Bridge carries one railway line and a two-lane road
- Approach viaducts
- Approximately 600 metres on the Agthori side and 200 metres on the Kamakhya side
- Project contractor
- Larsen & Toubro
- Construction target
- Piling is targeted to commence in October 2026
Quotes
Northeast Frontier Railway official
Railway official discussing the bridge’s construction approach
“The construction methodology is being tailored to the challenging conditions of the Brahmaputra River with particular focus on foundation construction, structural erection, quality assurance, construction safety and long-term durability.”
indianexpress.com
“Given the location of the new bridge in a highly developed urban environment, the project has involved considerable challenges relating to land acquisition, removal of encroachments and shifting of existing utilities.”
indianexpress.com
Sources
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