After a wait for more than two decades, the people of Northeast – especially Assam and Arunachal Pradesh – finally got the Bogibeel Bridge over river Brahmaputra. The longest rail-cum-road bridge in the country with a length of 4.94 kilometre was formally inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 25.
PM Modi dedicated the Bogibeel bridge to the nation which is of immense economic and strategic significance. At a public meeting in Kareng Chapori, on the northern bank of the Brahmaputra in Dibrugarh, Modi also flagged off the first passenger train passing through the bridge that connects Dibrugarh with Dhemaji in Assam.
The bridge is situated 17 Km downstream of Dibrugarh city in Assam. Constructed for Double Line BG Track and three lane road, this bridge will be the lifeline of Northeast and will facilitate connectivity between North and South Banks of river Brahmaputra in the Eastern region of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.
Modi said the dedication of the historic Bogibeel rail-cum-road bridge, is a symbol of this objective. He said this bridge is a marvel of engineering and technology, and is of immense strategic significance. He said this bridge reduces distances between Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. He said it would greatly enhance ‘ease of living’ in this region.
The Prime Minister said that this bridge had been a dream for the people of this region for generations, and is now a reality. He said that Dibrugarh is an important centre of healthcare, education and commerce in the region, and the people living north of the Brahmaputra, can now access this city, more conveniently.
The Bogibeel Bridge Project was a part of Assam Accord 1985 and was sanctioned in the year 1997-98. The foundation stone of the project was laid by former prime minister HD Deve Gowda on January 22, 1997 and work commencement of the project was done by then PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee on April 21, 2002.
The sanctioned estimated cost of the project was Rs 3230.02 crores. The revised estimate of the project amounts to Rs 4,857 crores which has been approved and sanctioned by the Railway Board to cover escalation and increased bridge length.
