PM Modi inaugurates India’s longest bridge in Assam, names it after Bhupen Hazarika
1 min read 26 May 2017, 11:41 AM ISTPM Narendra Modi inaugurated India's longest bridge, bridge over the Lohit in Assam, and named it after singer Bhupen Hazarika
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New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday inaugurated India’s longest bridge, spanning 9.3 km across the Brahmaputra, promising to turn the north-east into a showpiece of infrastructure development.
The road bridge, connecting Dhola in Arunachal Pradesh to Sadiya in Assam, has been built at a cost of Rs2,056 crore by the ministry of road transport and highways.
“The bridge will open gates for economic growth in the region and bring an economic revolution. We are confident that Eastern and North Eastern India have great aptitude to take the nation to new heights," Modi said in a speech.
The PM said the government was now keen to develop inland waterways on the Brahmaputra river by spending thousands of crore The government plans to spend money on projects including power, optical fibre network structures, road and railways to ensure that the north-east is connected with all parts of India.
He added that the region had the potential to become a model for global infrastructure development.
The Dhola-Sadiya bridge will be dedicated to musician and film-maker Bhupen Hazarika.
Modi said Dhola-Sadiya bridge is not only connecting Arunachal Pradesh and Assam, but also bringing them together. “The bridge will open gates for economic growth in the region and bring economic revolution. We are confident that Eastern and North Eastern India has great aptitude to take nation to new heights," said Modi.
The PM also said that the government was now keen to develop inland waterways on Brahmaputra river by spending thousands of crores and the region can see the development it has been imagining for years. Government plans to spend money on different projects like power, optical fibre network structure, road infrastructure, rail infrastructure so that North-East is connected with all part s of India. He added that the region had potential to become a model for global infrastructure development and then it can play a big role in country’s development.
Built by Navayuga Engineering Co. Ltd, the Dhola-Sadiya bridge is 3.55 km longer than the sea link over the Mahim Bay in Mumbai. It has strategic significance as it’s near Anini, 100 km from the China border.
The bridge will reduces the distance by 165 km, saving six hours of travel time and fuel worth Rs10 lakh per day in the region
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