Guwahati: A new 135.87-km four-lane, access-controlled highway corridor between Guwahati and Tezpur is set to strengthen Assam’s connectivity, logistics, tourism and trade, with the project expected to particularly benefit the state’s tea economy.
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways’ proposal for the Guwahati–Tezpur Corridor of NH-15, with a total capital cost of ₹8,970.20 crore. The corridor will connect Baihata Chariali near Guwahati with Tezpur, excluding the 15.11-km Mangaldoi Bypass, and will be developed under the Built-Operate-Transfer (BOT) toll mode.
Travel time to halve, five bypasses planned
The project is expected to double average travel speeds, reduce travel time by nearly half, improve fuel efficiency and lower vehicle operating costs.
Five major bypasses covering 58.7 km will be constructed around Baihata Chariali, Sipajhar, Kharupetia, Dekiajuli and Tezpur. These are expected to divert through traffic away from populated areas, ease congestion and improve road safety.
The corridor will also strengthen highway connectivity from Guwahati towards Itanagar and Pasighat in Arunachal Pradesh, providing a stronger link across the Northeast.
For Assam’s tea industry, the improved road network could mean more predictable freight movement, fewer delays and lower transportation costs. Guwahati already serves as an important centre for the region’s tea trade, including through its tea auction infrastructure.
Tourism, logistics and economic connectivity get a boost
The highway is also expected to improve access to major tourist destinations, including Kamakhya Temple, Kaziranga National Park and Orang National Park, potentially supporting wider tourism circuits connecting Guwahati, Tezpur and North Assam.
The project includes 15 major bridges, 30 minor bridges, 19 flyovers, 46 underpasses and 210 km of service roads. An elephant underpass is also planned on the Tezpur Bypass.
The corridor will connect eight PM GatiShakti economic nodes, two social nodes, three tourist nodes and seven logistics nodes, including railway stations, airports and waterway terminals.
A 4.9-km emergency landing facility is also proposed on the Tezpur Bypass in coordination with the Indian Air Force.
Beyond improving travel, the corridor is expected to decongest the existing NH-27 East-West Corridor along the southern bank of the Brahmaputra and strengthen Assam’s wider economic and transport network.
