Guwahati: The Second Saraighat Rail-cum-Road Bridge project, along with the doubling of the railway line between Agthori and Kamakhya stations, is moving towards execution, with piling work expected to begin in October 2026.
The project aims to enhance rail and road capacity across the Brahmaputra and improve connectivity between the northern and southern banks of Guwahati.The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) said the 7.20-km Agthori-Kamakhya railway-doubling project was sanctioned by the Ministry of Railways in 2024, with Larsen & Toubro (L&T) entrusted with its execution.
As per NFR Chief Public Relations Officer Kapinjal Kishore Sharma, geotechnical investigations have been completed, while major engineering designs and construction drawings are in progress.
The project includes a 1.3-km double-decker rail-cum-road bridge across the Brahmaputra. The lower deck will carry two railway lines, while the upper deck will have a three-lane road and a footpath.
The existing Saraighat Bridge, completed in 1962, has a single railway line and a two-lane road. NFR said land acquisition, encroachment removal and utility shifting had posed challenges, although substantial progress had been made with support from the Assam government and local administration.
With the monsoon nearing its end, L&T has begun mobilisation and preparatory work. Piling is targeted to start in October, with construction expected to accelerate during the current financial year.
Once operational, the project is expected to increase passenger and freight capacity across the Brahmaputra.