Infrastructure of Assam – Roadways and Bridges
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Assam is the gateway of Northeast India and there is a necessity for improved transportation in the State is essential for development in the Northeast region. Assam comprises of approximately 40342 km of road network including 2841 km of national highway.
Assam has a total length of National Highways of 3900 Km. This includes 15 number of newly declared NHs for a length of 1032 km. Additionally, 847 km of road stretches have already been approved “in principle” as new NHs and another 1253 km of state roads have been identified to be upgraded to National Highway.
Guwahati has good quality roads that are accessible and connected with major cities and towns in India. The Assam State Transport Corporation and other private operators run regular bus services in the state.
National Highways in Assam
There are 39 National Highways running through Assam. A length of 2541 Km under Assam PWD, National Highway, a length of 696 Km under National Highway Authority of India, and 399 Km under National Highway Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited.
31 Km is under Border Road Organization (BRO), 13 Km under Railways, 25 Km under Ministry of Road Transport & Highways and around 192 Km were newly declared as NHs but yet to be entrusted.
Important Bridges in Assam
The Mighty Brahmaputra River is the longest river in Assam, there are 6 rail and road bridges have been constructed over the Brahmaputra in Assam and four new bridges are proposed.
Dhola Sadiya Bridge of 9.15 km length
Dhola Sadiya Bridge or Bhupen Hazarika Bridge across the Lohit River, a major tributary of the Brahmaputra River, is the longest bridge in India. The 9.15 kilometres long road bridge inaugurated on 26 May 2017 by PM Narendra Modi.
It is a beam bridge connecting Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. The bridge is the first permanent road connection between the northern Assam and eastern Arunachal Pradesh.
Bogibeel Bridge of 4.94 km length
The Bogibeel Bridge across the Brahmaputra river in Dibrugarh is the longest road and rail bridge in India. The 4.94 kilometres long road cum rail bridge connects Dhemaji district and Dibrugarh district of Assam.
This is also Asia’s 2nd longest rail-cum-road bridge and second longest bridge in Assam after Bhupen Hazarika Bridge. It is the 5th longest bridge in India after Bhupen Hazarika Setu, Dibang River Bridge, Mahatma Gandhi Setu and Bandra-Worli Sea Link.
It is situated in an earthquake-prone area it is India’s first bridge to have fully welded steel-concrete support beams that can withstand earthquakes of magnitudes up to 7 on the Richter Scale. It has a serviceable period of around 120 years.
Kolia Bhomora Bridge
Kolia Bhomora Setu is a 3.15 km long road bridge over the Brahmaputra river near Tezpur, connecting Sonitpur with Nagaon. The bridge is one of the most important link between the North Eastern states and rest of India.
It is named after the Ahom General Kolia Bhomora Phukan. The bridge falls on route of National Highway 715, previously known as NH-37A.
Naranarayan Bridge of 2.3 Km
Naranarayan Setu is an important road cum rail bridge over the Brahmaputra river in Assam, connects Jogighopa with Pancharatna. The double deck bridge is listed as one of the most impressive rail cum road bridges of India.
It is the third bridge to have been constructed over the Brahmaputra River in Assam. It connects Jogighopa of Bongaigaon District on the north with Pancharatna of Goalpara District on the south. It is named after Nara Narayan, a 16th-century Koch king.
New Saraighat Bridge of Guwahati
The 1.5 km long new Saraighat Bridge near the old Saraighat rail cum road Bridge. The second bridge on Brahmaputra river at Saraighat was inaugurated in year 2017.
Saraighat Bridge
Saraighat Bridge in Guwahati is the first rail cum road bridge over mighty Brahmaputra river in Assam. The Saraighat Bridge over the river Brahmaputra links North East region with the rest of the country. The length of the bridge is 1492 meters.
The idea of constructing a bridge over the Brahmaputra was first mooted in 1910 and the thought gathered momentum during the Second World War. The bridge was built between 1959 and 1962 by Hindustan Construction Company at a cost of Rs 10.6 crore at that time.. The bridge was completed in September 1962.
Bridged under construction
Assam-Meghalaya river bridge of 19.3 km – Longest river bridge
Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by PM Modi, approved construction of four-lane bridge including approaches over river Brahmaputra between Dhubri on the north bank and Phulbari on south bank on NH-127 B in the Assam/Meghalaya.
The total length of the bridge will be 19.3 Km, India’s longest river bridge. It will be built under the scheme of North-East Road Network Connectivity Project Phase-03’ under loan assistance with JICA at the total capital cost of Rs 4,997.04 crore. The project is expected to be complete by 2026-27.
Positive impact of the bridge
- Beside from boosting road connectivity, the project will also have strategic and socio-economic importance.
- The bridge will cut down travel distance from 205.3 Km to only 19.3 Km and will reduce travel time from five hours to 20 minutes between Dhubri in Assam and Phulbari in Meghalaya.
- It will provide the shortest link between the western regions of Meghalaya as well as Barak valley region of Assam and southern states in NE namely Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura and the rest of the country, including the ports of Kolkata.
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