Assam: Brahmaputra to get two new bridges

New Delhi, June 13: Two new bridges will be built over Brahmaputra in Assam connecting the north and the south banks of the river and work for the project will begin soon. The assurance was given to Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal by Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari here on Wednesday.

Sonowal urged the Union minister for early start of the construction work of the bridges -- one connecting Sivasagar-Desangmukh-Tekeliphuta-Dhakuakhana and another connecting North Lakhimpur- Majuli and Jorhat under the Special Accelerated Road Development Programme for northeastern states, an official release said.

Gadkari informed that the preliminary work involving the construction has been completed and construction work of the project would start very soon, it said. During the meeting, an elaborate discussion was held on the status of highways in Assam under the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) and the National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL).

Special focus was given on linking the north and the south bank of Brahmaputra keeping Majuli, which is an epicentre of Assam Vaishnavite culture. Sonowal observed that construction of a road network involving a bridge connecting Majuli will enable expeditious development of the river island along with development of the areas located in the north and the south bank of Brahmaputra seamlessly, the release said.

The chief minister also stated due to slow-paced construction of several stretches of the national highways, people are facing a lot of difficulties and requested the Union minister's intervention for expeditious completion of the national highways from Nagaon bypass to Kaliabor (NH 37), Numaligarh to Dibrugarh (NH 37), Digboi to Ledo (NH 38), Jamugurihat to Gohpur (NH 52), Nirim Banglow to Harangjao (NH 54 E).