Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Dhola-Sadiya Bridge on Wednesday, which is the longest bridge in the nation that straddles Brahmaputra river.
In a series of tweets Narendra Modi described the bridge as one one of the most important infrastructure projects to be undertaken in India.
The bridge connects Dhola with Sadiya in Asssam’s Tinsukia district and has been constructed over across the Rivers Brahmaputra.
The construction works began in 2011 under the aegis of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways in public sharing partnership with a private firm, Navayuga Engineering Company Limited.
The bridge was scheduled to be completed in 2015 and operational from December in the same year, but the construction works were delayed.
Construction of the bridge costed about 10 billion rupees and took six years to complete.
The bridge is 3.1 kilometers longer than the Bandra Worli Sea Link in Mumbai, making it the longest in India.
It is 12.9 meter-wide along with a two-lane connecting road from Dhola Bazaar top Islampur Tiniali.
It will take about 30 minutes to cross over to Sadiya near the Lohit border in Arunach and will reduce the travel time by four hours.
B. Surya Raju, the chief project manager led the construction expert team for the bridge, and under the supervision of the Director of Navayuga Engineering Company Limited, K. Jagadishwara Rao
The significance of the bridge:
−The bridge will be one of the most vital links in the North-East India. It will not only give a relief to the existing transport network, but also attract several development activities that will increases the vehicular movement.
−Any investment in this area is extremely desirable after qualifying the judgment criteria for social opportunity cost.
−Better supply chain management by keeping supply price controlled and ensuring the timely distribution.
−It will result in facilitating marketable surplus and checking price distortion, which in turn will enhance production activities.
−It will expedite industrial investments.
−It will provide access to health and educational facilities.
−It will promote tourism in the region.
−It will increase in border trade between Arunachal Pradesh and other South ASEAN (Association of South-East Asian Countries) Countries.
−From a strategic point of view, there is no other bridge across the Brahmaputra River except Kaliabor Bridge in Central Assam. Throughout the 375 kilometers of river bank in the state there is no bridge for transportation. In the upstream after 120 kilometer there is a bridge available, but it travels through hilly terrain on north bank. Currently all the transport are being carried out only through water. The new bridge will improve the entire transport system of North Assam.
−The bridge will serve important logistics for the Indian Army personnel for Indo-China border at Arunachal Pradesh.
AMandeep
