PM Modi sharpens poll pitch in Assam as state gets key underwater tunnel project

PRime government minister Narendra Modi on sat stepped up the Bharatiya Janata company’s (BJP) run for a thirdly consecutive term in Assam with a sharp political attack on the Congress, while the Union cabinet in New Delhi separately cleared a ₹18,662-crore underwater tunnel project — the first of its kind in the country — for the state.The approval of the tunnel coincided with Modi’s day-long visit to the poll-bound state, where he inaugurated the Northeast’s first emergency landing facility (ELF) and framed the upcoming election as a clash between two distinct eras.The 15.79 km tunnel project, described as a strategic and economic game-changer, anchors the ruling party’s pitch to voters: that only it can modernise the region after decades of alleged neglect. It will connect Gohpur and Numaligarh, serving as a critical link in a new access-controlled greenfield corridor.“Congress always gave Assam problems. On the other hand, the BJP has provided solutions,” Modi told party workers in Guwahati.BJP has headed the state government since 2016.According to the ministry of road transport and highways, the underwater tunnel project will cut travel time between the two points from six hours to about 20 minutes and is designed to handle both military and civilian traffic. The project will also reduce the effective travel distance from around 250 km to 34 km.Beyond economics, the Prime Minister played up his administration’s security credentials. Earlier in the day, he inaugurated the ELF on a national highway in Dibrugarh. Located around 300 km from the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China, the strip is capable of handling fighter aircraft up to 40 tonnes and transport aircraft up to 74 tonnes maximum take-off weight.After landing on the facility aboard an Indian Air Force (IAF) C-130J Super Hercules, Modi used the anniversary of the Pulwama terror attack to draw a contrast with the opposition.“When I landed on the ELF, it created a history for the north east. Earlier, when people used to mention the region, they used to think of broken roads. That was then, and it’s the present,” the PM said.“In new India, not only are the country’s borders being secured, but we have the ability to enter the houses of our enemies and teach them a lesson,” Modi said. He accused the Congress of having previously allowed defence scams and of failing to build border infrastructure. “India’s strength was on display during Operation Sindoor as well. Did you see such measures during the Congress rule?” he questioned.Union minister for information and broadcasting Ashwini Vaishnaw said the tunnel will hold “immense strategic importance for India and the North-Eastern region” and will help troop movement, as it connects the Rangia-Mukongselek railway and NH-15 on the Gohpur side with the Furkating-Mariani loop line and NH-715 on the Numaligarh side. Describing it as India’s first integrated road-cum-rail facility, Vaishnaw said: “One side will have a four-lane highway and the other side will have a railway line. Every 500 metres, the two tunnels will be connected so that if there is any emergency in one, the other alignment can be used.”Calling it a complex engineering exercise, the minister said the Himalayan terrain in the region consists of young mountains with challenging rock and sand formations. “The vibration levels of trains are very high, and the difference ranging from 40 tonnes to 4,000 tonnes has to be factored into the design separately,” he said.The project will also link four major railway stations, two airports (including Itanagar), and two inland waterway terminals, facilitating faster movement of both goods and passengers across the region.Modi argued that his government has prioritised the state’s financial health, noting that Assam is set to receive around ₹50,000 crore this year as its share of central taxes — a significant jump from the ₹10,000 crore received during Congress rule.“Can Congress, which didn’t give money for Assam, develop the state?” Modi questioned, claiming that in the past 11 years, the state received more than ₹5.5 lakh crore for development initiatives.The BJP is also courting the youth vote with promises of a tech-driven future. Modi highlighted a new semiconductor facility in Jagiroad and a national data centre, saying that “soon apart from Assam’s tea people will know it for chips made at that facility.” He added that while Congress built only three bridges over the Brahmaputra in 70 years, the BJP has constructed five in just over a decade.“After remaining away from power for 10 years, Congress has become more toxic,” Modi said, accusing the opposition of protecting illegal immigrants to secure votes.