Launching the Mahabahu-Brahmaputra Initiative, PM Modi said this will be a life-changing setu for the people in the region.
Guwahati: Prime Minister of India Sree Narendra Modi launched Mahabahu-Brahmaputra Initiative and laid foundation stones of another bridge through video conferencing on Thursday 18th of February 2021.
PM Modi laid the foundation stone of DhubriPhulbari Bridge and performed Bhumi Pujan for construction of Majuli Bridge in Assam. DhubriPhulbari Bridge is going to be India’s longest river bridge which will connect Dhubri Assam with Phulbari Meghalaya. Government at the Centre and in Assam has reduced the geographical and cultural gap in the entire region through this new initiative.
Launching the bridge, PM Modi claims that this will be a life-changing setu for the people in the region.
PM Modi also attended the Bhumi Pujan of Majuli Jorhat Bridge Construcstion through video conferencing on the same day. The bridge will have two-lanes. This Majuli bridge will connect Majuli to Jorhat in Assam.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on video conference said “The work needed to be done on the Brahmaputra stalled for decades and connectivity in Assam and the entire northeast region remained a major challenge,”
PM Modi also added “With the coming of Mahabahu Brahmaputra, work is now being done at a fast pace,”
The DhubriPhulbari Bridge will have 4 lanes. The four-lane bridge will run over the Brahmaputra river between Dhubri (on North Bank) and Phulbari (on South Bank).
This bridge will be located on NH-127B, originating from Srirampur on NH-27 (East-West Corridor), and terminating at Nongstoin on NH-106 in the State of Meghalaya.
At a total cost of approximately 4,997 crore this bridge will be built. In April 2012 a boat carrying 305 passengers had capsized on the mighty Bramhaputra. This is the moment when the need for this bridge was first felt.
At present, small boats run between Dhubri and Phulbari. It takes about two and a half hours to cross the river. Vehicles take an over-200km-long detour using the Naranarayan bridge, which is 60km upstream. The new bridge will complete the missing link of NH127B from Assam to Meghalaya.
Once the bridge is built it will only take 15 to 20 minutes to cover the distance as claimed by the officials. Currently the longest river bridge in India is the Dhola-Sadiya bridge which was opened in 2017 and it is 9.15km long.
PM Modi is likely to visit Assam in 22nd of February 2021. This will be PM’s third visit to Assam. The PM will address two public meetings one at Majuli and the other at Silapathar in Dhemaji. According to reports he will be attending one of the meeting on the same day via video conferencing.
PM Modi earlier visited Assam twice. First time on 23rd January 2021 when he visited Sivsagar and distributed land-patta documents to approximately 1.06 lakh landless indigenous people of the state.
The second time Modi ji visited was on 7th February 2021 at Dhekiajuli in Sonitpur district. Where he inaugurated 2 medical colleges at BiswanathCharali and Chairaideo.
Today PM Modi laid foundation stone of one bridge in Assam and participated in the Bhumi Pujan of another through video conferencing and soon on 22nd February PM Modi is likely to visit Assam. “PM Modi will address two rallies that will be held at Silapathar and Majuli. These programmes will be physically and virtually addressed. It is yet to be finalised which programme will be virtually addressed,” said Dr HimantaBiswa Sharma Assam’s Health, Education Finance Minister.
By Saumen Paul
