Narendra Modi has recently inaugurated the longest river bridge of India in Assam. This bridge is named Dhola-Sadiya. It has been built over Lohit River and is at the easternmost corner of Assam connecting this state to Arunachal Pradesh, which itself is the easternmost state of the country. This is a strategic bridge and has cost the national government INR 2056-2096 crore. Sadia is located in the district named Tinsukia. Following his inauguration Modi even took a short walk on the bridge. The bridge covers a distance of 28.5 km. It is 3.55 km longer than Mumbai’s Bandra-Worli Sea Link.
Some details pertaining to the bridge
The bridge is also equipped with a three-lane carriage way and connects this town with Dhola village in Arunachal Pradesh that is located just across the river. It is expected that this bridge would bring down the travel time between Assam and Arunachal Pradesh – both strategically located – by as much as four hours. Previously, this journey could only be covered by way of crossing the river. Official sources have also said that the bridge has been designed in such a way that tanks can be moved across it. This has been done keeping in mind the need to quickly move artillery and troops across the river as and when may be needed to Arunachal Pradesh, which happens to be a bordering province and at the centre of India’s problems with China.
Importance of this day
Lohit River itself is a tributary of Brahmaputra River, one of the three perennial and most-important rivers in the country. The inauguration happened on May 26, which incidentally happens to be the third anniversary of the present Indian Government led by Modi. May 24 was the first anniversary of the present Assam Government headed by Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Sarbananda Sonowal, who has previously served as the Union Sports Minister.
Invitation
In fact it was Sonowal who invited Modi to come and inaugurate the bridge. This bridge is the fourth on Brahmaputra following earlier ones built at Saraighat, Kolia Bhomora, and the one that is presently being built at Bogibeel. The Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has said, and rightly so, that this bridge would go a major way in reducing the communication gap that has existed in the region so far. The construction of this bridge started during 2010 when United Progressive Alliance (UPA), led by Congress, was at power both at the centre as well as Assam.
Some important information
As has been stated already that this is the first year of the present BJP-led government of Assam and Modi are expected to kick off several infrastructure projects in the state. In his address at the inauguration Modi stressed on how people in the region have been waiting for the bridge for the past five years and how their wait is finally over. The bridge is expected to be named after Bhupen Hazarika, a legendary singer of Assam and India.
