The Union Cabinet has approved the construction of the 135.871-km Guwahati–Tezpur four-lane access-controlled highway corridor along National Highway-15 (NH-15) in Assam. The project, cleared by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), will be developed at an estimated cost of ₹8,970.20 crore under the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) toll model.
According to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, the project is aimed at improving road connectivity between Guwahati and Tezpur while strengthening transport links across Assam and neighbouring Arunachal Pradesh. The corridor is expected to significantly reduce travel time, improve road safety and facilitate faster movement of passengers and freight.
One of the major features of the project is the construction of an Emergency Landing Facility (ELF) measuring 4.9 km on the Tezpur Bypass. The facility has been planned in coordination with the Indian Air Force (IAF) and will provide strategic infrastructure while also helping decongest the existing NH-27 East-West Corridor located on the southern side of the Brahmaputra River.
The project includes the construction of five major bypasses with a combined length of 58.7 km. These bypasses will divert through traffic away from densely populated towns including Baihata Chariali, Sipajhar, Kharupetia, Dekiajuli and Tezpur, helping reduce congestion and improve traffic flow.
As part of the corridor development, the government has also approved the construction of 15 major bridges, 30 minor bridges, 19 flyovers, 46 underpasses and one elephant underpass on the Tezpur Bypass. In addition, around 210 km of service roads will be developed to facilitate local traffic movement and ensure safe access along the access-controlled highway.
The Ministry stated that the upgraded corridor is expected to double average travel speeds, reduce travel time by nearly 50 per cent, improve fuel efficiency, lower vehicle operating costs and enhance overall road safety. These improvements are expected to contribute to regional economic growth by making transportation more efficient.
The highway will also strengthen connectivity to several important economic and social infrastructure assets. The corridor will provide improved access to eight PM Gati Shakti Economic Nodes, including industrial parks, two aspirational districts—Darrang and Udalguri, and key tourism destinations such as Maa Kamakhya Temple, Kaziranga National Park and Orang National Park. It will also improve links to seven logistics hubs, including three major railway stations, two airports and two inland waterway terminals.
The Guwahati–Tezpur highway project is expected to play an important role in enhancing connectivity across Northeast India while supporting industrial development, tourism, logistics and regional economic activity through improved transport infrastructure.
