Assam: Tainted Louis Berger company roped in to study feasibility of Brahmaputra underwater tunnel
GUWAHATI: Tainted United States-based company – Louis Berger – has been roped in by the government to conduct feasibility study of the proposed Brahmaputra underwater tunnel that will connect Gohpur with Numaligarh in Assam.
The US-based company Louis Berger, a global professional services corporation that helps infrastructure and development clients, will conduct a feasibility study for the proposed underwater tunnel beneath the Brahmaputra River, said union minister Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday (October 31).
It may be mentioned here that the central bureau of investigation (CBI), has been conducting an investigation into the Rs 6.5-crore Louis Berger bribery scam, on the directive of the Gauhati high court.
The CBI took over the probe into the Louis Berger bribery scam in Assam after Gauhati high court’s order on September 2 in 2017.
The case came to light in July 2015 when the US department of justice under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act filed a lawsuit against the New Jersey-based Louis Berger. The case involved water management projects in Assam and Goa.
Executives of the firm told a US court then that they and their consortium partners had – between 1998 and 2010 – paid bribes worth $976,6630 to unnamed “officials” in the Assam and Goa governments to corner water management consultancy projects.
Notably, current Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, was holding the charge of the Guwahati Development Department when the Louis Berger scam allegedly took place.
Sarma, however, had denied any role in the scam and maintained there was no mention about the involvement of any minister from Assam in the bribery case in the charge sheet filed in a US court.
Also read: Guwahati will de-congest once 6-lane 65-km-long ring road project gets completed: Assam CM
INFRA PUSH IN NORTHEAST
The Brahmaputra underwater tunnel in Assam will be constructed by the National Highways Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (NHIDCL) at an estimated cost of Rs 12,000 crore, after a feasibility study by Louis Berger.
“The tunnel is poised to impact not only the state's infrastructure but also assist the Indian Army,” Gadkari said.
“The length of the tunnel will be finalized while preparing the DPR,” Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who was also present at the press conference, said.
“The tunnel will be for vehicles. It will reduce the travel time between Numaligarh and Gohpur in Assam. The proposed tunnel will bring the south and north areas of Brahmaputra closer and ease connectivity to Arunachal Pradesh,” Gadkari said.
The Brahmaputra River is a transboundary river flowing through Tibet (China), northeastern India and Bangladesh.
There are several bridges constructed over the river to facilitate transportation. Some of the bridges include the Bogibeel Bridge, the Dhubri Phulbari Bridge, the Bhupen Hazarika Bridge, the Kolia Bhomora Setu, the Naranarayan Setu and the Saraighat Bridge.
Apart from the underwater tunnel, the Centre has approved three other major infrastructure projects for Assam.
“The Centre has approved construction of an elevated corridor on the National Highway 715 passing through Kaziranga National Park to provide seamless movement of the wild animals under the structures avoiding accidental death of animals and the same time maintain ecological balance,” the union minister said.
The foundation of the project is likely to be laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi before the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
“The project has been included under NH(Original) scheme on HAM (Hybrid Annuity Model) mode and targeted for award during 2023=24 fiscal,” the Union minister also said.
The government also approved for construction of a ropeway from Kamakhya Railway Station to Kamakhya Temple for the benefit of the pilgrims coming from the Kamakhya Railway station to the Kamakhya Temple reducing the distance to only 1.6 km and to travel time from 20 to 25 minutes, he said.
“This ropeway will also reduce traffic congestion on Kamaakhya Hill acting as a sustainable and eco-friendly mode of transportation reducing the carbon emission,” he also said.
The government also approved a six-lane Northern Bypass of Guwahati (Guwahati Ring Road) from Baihata via Kuruwa, Chandrapur to Sonapur and back to Guwahati in Assam.
“The Guwahati Ring Road will reduce major traffic coming from West Bengal and Bihar side to Silchar, Nagaland and Tripura entering into Guwahati city and thereby significantly reducing traffic congestion on Guwahati Bypass and highway section upto Jorabat,” he also said.
The Union minister said the foundation of all these projects would be laid before the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Stating that the Centre has allocated Rs 90,000 crore for highways in Assam, Gadkari said several pivotal infrastructure projects are currently underway in the state under the supervision of the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation (NHIDCL), and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).
Of them, Dhubri-Phulbari Bridge, Multi-Modal Logistic Park at Jogighopa and 4-Lane Narimbanglo-Jatinga Harangajao Road.
“There are 48 upcoming projects for Assam, collectively spanning a length of 802 kilometres, with a total project cost (TPC) of Rs 40,836 crore,” the Union minister said.
“The state is actively executing 64 ongoing projects, covering a total length of 1,190 kilometres, with a cumulative TPC of Rs 37,700 crore” Gadkari said.
In total, Assam is overseeing 248 projects, which traverse a length of 4,091 kilometres and account for a TPC of Rs 90,700 crore.