New Delhi: With the motive to build a strong road network along the Indian border, the central government is building the country’s longest road bridge across the Brahmaputra River. The length of the bridge connecting Assam and Meghalaya is more than 18 km. It will provide new roads to reach the border between China and Bangladesh. The construction of this strategically and socially important bridge will speed up the movement of military vehicles, supplies and commercial vehicles. At the same time, economic activity in the northeastern states will gain momentum.
A senior official in the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways said this week the infrastructure construction company was awarded a contract to build a road bridge from Dhubri in Assam to Meghalaya in Phulwari (NH No. 127B).
Construction of the bridge will begin in the new year and is targeted to be completed by 2026-27. It will cost around 5,000 crore. Under the plan, 12.62 km long bridge, 3.5 km at Dhubri end and 2.2 km link road towards Phulwari will be constructed.
Due to the construction of the bridge, Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, Barak Valley, etc. will gradually freeze. At present it takes 2.5 hours to cross the Brahmaputra river by ferry service (boat). This service comes to a standstill during the rainy season. Which is why people do not have to travel 250 kilometers. The official said vehicles over the bridge would be able to travel at speeds of up to 100 kilometers per hour. This will enable military vehicles, including road passengers, freight vehicles, supplies and weapons, to reach the border at a faster pace.
Earlier, it was reported that China would build a large dam on the Brahmaputra River in Tibet amid stalemate from India in eastern Ladakh, and the related proposal is being considered in the Fourteenth Five-Year Plan to be implemented from next year. Chinese state media quoted the head of a Chinese company responsible for the construction of the dam as saying.
According to the Global Times, ‘Yang Yang, president of the China Power Construction Corporation, said China would “start a hydropower project on the banks of the Yarlung Jangbo River (Tibetan name of the Brahmaputra).” It can be helpful to strengthen resources and domestic security.’