Dhola-Sadia bridge to be named after singer Bhupen Hazarika, says Modi

Prime Minister Modi held the UPA government responsible for delay in Dhola-Sadia bridge project.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday named the Dhola-Sadia bridge after famous Assamese folk singer Bhupen Hazarika. The Prime Minister inaugurated India's longest bridge connecting Assam and Arunachal Pradesh on Friday.

"Is bridge ka naam Bhupen Hazarika bridge hoga (This bridge will be named after Bhupen Hazarika)," the Prime Minister said at a rally in Dhola, Assam, soon after inaugurating the bridge.

Hazarika was an Assamese lyricist, musician, singer and poet acknowledged to have introduced the culture and folk music of Assam and Northeast India to Hindi cinema at the national level. He is a recipient of Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, Padmashri and Padmabhushan.

In a veiled attack on the previous Congress-led government, Prime Minister Modi held the UPA government responsible for delay in Dhola-Sadia bridge project.

Asserting the the dream of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee was fulfilled, Modi said termed the completion of Dhola-Sadia bridge as a 'symbol of revolution'.

"In 2003, one of our MLAs Jagdish Bhuyan wrote to Vajpayee ji requesting for such a bridge.He approved," he said.

"Then soon govewrnment changed and the work on the bridge kept on getting delayed," he added while taking a dig at UPA regime.

The 9.15 kilometre bridge has been built over river Lohit and ensures connectivity between upper Assam and the eastern part of Arunachal Pradesh.

Built on a tributary of the Brahmaputra, the bridge links Dhola in Assam to Sadiya in Arunachal Pradesh. It will also reduce the distance from Rupai, Assam, and Meka/Roing, Arunachal Pradesh, by 165 kilometers.

The Dhola-Sadiya bridge promises to provide efficient road connectivity to remote and backward areas which have poor road infrastructure. The bridge is also expected to enhance India's defence capabilities in the northeastern region.

The bridge will send out a message to China as it would help the Indian Army in swift mobilisation and movement of troops and heavy equipment to the frontier areas. The Army has been demanding for this bridge for long.

With the inauguration of this bridge, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will kickstart the three year celebrations of the NDA government at the centre.

OneIndia News