PM inaugurates India's longest river bridge

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today inaugurated the country's longest bridge over the Lohit river in Assam on the third anniversary of his government and said the NDA dispensation was working to make the northeast region a trade hub for southeast Asia.

Dedicating to the nation the 9.15 km-long bridge, named after Dadasaheb Phalke awardee and legendary lyricist-singer Bhupen Hazarika who hailed from Sadiya, he said it will serve as the foundation for a new economic revolution and help India in its efforts to become a superpower.

Speaking on the Act East Policy, the prime minister said he wanted the northeast region to become a trade hub for southeast Asia by connecting the area for economic activity.

"For this, we are laying stress on development of infrastructure and making the northeast a tourism centre. Lakhs of tourists would also come to Kamakhya temple and improve the economy," he said.

"Stress in now being laid on what was never done earlier... Electricity, roads, rail infrastructure and optical fibre network in the northeast will connect every corner of the region with the country," Modi said.

"The bridge will not only save money, reduce travel time but comes as a foundation for the beginning of a new economic revolution. That is why the whole nation has its eyes on this bridge," he said.

"The reduction of distance by 165 km and cutting travel time by seven to eight hours will open new doors for economic development... The bridge will bring development to Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.

"For fulfilling India's dream of becoming a top economically developed nation, a superpower, the northeast region is the place to begin with," Modi said.

"If development is to be made permanent, then infrastructure is the first requirement. It is on the two tracks of physical infrastructure and social infrastructure that complete development is achieved," he said.

The prime minister said the government has been striving for long-lasting development by creating permanent infrastructure for fulfilling the nation's dreams.

Modi said the bridge would open new road for the high- quality ginger grown by farmers of the region and improve their economic condition.

If the farmers take up organic ginger farming, a global market would open up for them, he said.
Greeting the people here in Assamese, Modi asked them to switch on the torches of their mobiles to "show to the nation that you are celebrating the occasion".

Amidst cheers by the gathering, Modi said he considered himself fortunate to be here as Gujarat, where Dwarikanath is from, is his birthplace, and Sadiya, which was known as Kundil Nagar, was where Lord Krishna had come.

He recalled the role played by the former MLA Jagadish Bhuyan in the construction of the bridge as it was he who wrote to then prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on May 29, 2003.

"The government changed in the middle and your dreams got paused. If work had continued then you would have had the bridge 10 years ago. In the last three years efforts started to complete Vajpayee's work," Modi said.

He said Assam Chief Minister Sarbanada Sonowal in the first one year of his government is trying to bring the state out of the condition it was in when he took over the reins.

Before the bridge was constructed people had to depend on ferry boats to cross the Lohit river.

"Now, the bridge will be open 365 days 24X7 for movement of traffic. We are giving stress on development of roads, bridges, rails, air and waterways which are environment- friendly and economical. New waterways will start from here," the prime minister said.

The bridge built at a cost of Rs 2,056 crore is 3.55 km longer than the Bandra-Worli Sea link. The length of the bridge, including viaducts, is 9.15 km with 7.3 km approach road from the Dhola side and 12.5 km from Sadia side.

The carriageway width is three lanes (10.5 metre).

With importance accorded to quick movement of military troops and artillery, the bridge has been designed to allow movement of tanks, official sources said.

The bridge is an engineering marvel and is capable of withstanding the weight of a 60 tonne battle tank, a release by Dalmia Cement, which supplied the construction material, said in Guwahati.

The company supplied 17,000 tonnes of cement for the bridge which connects Arunachal Pradesh and Assam, said a release from the cement company.

Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) was the largest and main supplier of steel for constructing the bridge.

It supplied around 90 per cent or around 30,000 tonnes of steel, including TMT bars for it, an official release said.