On Saturday, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma provided an update on the progress of the bridge construction project over the Brahmaputra River, which will connect the south and north banks in the state’s capital city, Guwahati. He reported that approximately 78% of the bridge work has been completed, and the total project cost is expected to be Rs 2,608.68 crore. Thus far, Rs 2,104 crore has been received, and a budget of Rs 450 crore has been allocated for 2023-24, with Rs 175 crore already disbursed.
Guwahati already has an existing bridge over the Brahmaputra, and this new bridge, situated a few kilometers away, will offer an alternative route to the capital city. The under-construction bridge will significantly reduce the distance between Guwahati and AIIMS and IIT, both located on the north bank.
CM Sarma also unveiled details about the proposed Guwahati Ring Road Project, which aims to alleviate the city’s congestion, positioning it as a potential gateway to Southeast Asia. The Assam Government will cover 50% of the land costs for this 121 km project, amounting to Rs 5,800 crore.
The proposed ring road will be instrumental in alleviating congestion in Guwahati, diverting major traffic from West Bengal and Bihar toward Silchar, Nagaland, Mizoram, and Tripura away from the city. It will include a 3-km long, 6-lane bridge over the Brahmaputra between Kurua and Narengi.
In a separate development earlier in the week, Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, laid the foundation stones or inaugurated 26 national highways projects with a combined investment of Rs 17,500 crore in Guwahati, signifying a boost to the state’s road transport infrastructure.
Chief Minister Sarma had appealed to the Union Road Transport Minister to expedite the proposed ring road in Guwahati, and Gadkari expressed his in-principle approval for the project in his speech. Sarma also requested the construction of a 32-km elevated corridor at Kaziranga to reduce wildlife fatalities, to which Gadkari confirmed the corridor’s impending realization and the preparation of a detailed project report.
Furthermore, Chief Minister Sarma expressed optimism that steps will be taken to accelerate the construction of a tunnel beneath the Brahmaputra River, connecting Gohpur on the north bank with Numaligarh on the south bank. He also appealed for a Rs. 500 crore allocation from the central fund for projects under the Asom Mala scheme, and Gadkari announced the approval of Rs. 600 crore, surpassing the requested amount by Rs. 100 crore.
