Weeks before Assembly elections in Assam, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday laid the foundation stone of the country's longest bridge over the Brahmaputra river and launched projects to augment water transport system in the state.
The 19-km-long bridge with an estimated expenditure of Rs 5,000 crore will connect Dhubri in eastern Assam with Phulbari in neighbouring Meghalaya. The bridge will reduce the travel distance from 250-km in six hours at present to only 19-km in 20 minutes.
"Prior to Independence, Assam enjoyed a high per-capita income but since 1947 its development was neglected. Correcting the historical mistake of neglecting Assam had begun with former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, and now it has gained strength with the BJP government taking its development as a priority," he said.
The prime minister, who was in Assam for a second time in less than a fortnight, had unleashed a development offensive in the run up to the state polls on February 7 when he had launched and dedicated to the nation infrastructure projects involving Rs 9,310 crore.
People in Dhubri has been demanding the bridge for long as they have to suffer, particularly during the monsoon season.
"This is an important day in the history of Assam as this bridge will not only provide a quick and reliable mode of transport but will also help improve livelihoods. Our purpose is to make Assam and the Northeast as the centre of connectivity with the South East Asian nations," Modi said while virtually laying the foundation stone of the bridge from New Delhi.
He also launched 'Mahabahu-Brahmaputra' project under which Ro-Pax vessel operations was started between Nemati-Majuli island, North Guwahati-South Guwahati and Dhubri-Hatsingimari.
"The Brahmaputra is not just a river, it is the manifestation of the great saga of the north east's ethnic diversity and the region's harmonious co-existence.
"Along the banks of this mighty river, grew the culture and civilisation of Assam... over the years, many things have changed but what has not is the Brahmaputra's countless blessings in the form of diverse religious, societal and cultural influences on different ethnic communities living on both banks of this river," Modi said.
He also laid the foundation stone of Inland Water Transport terminal at Jogighopa and various tourist jetties on the Brahmaputra. Bhumipujon (earth breaking ceremony) for construction of an 8-km-long bridge to connect Majuli island district with Jorhat in eastern Assam was also done on Thursday. Foundation stone for the bridge was laid earlier.
Lauding the foundation stone laying of the Dhubri-Phulbari bridge, Dhubri Lok Sabha member and Chief of All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), Maulana Badruddin Ajmal said: "It is a moment of immense happiness to me for it has been my long-cherished dream. I can not count the number of times I have visited different ministries and the number of letters I have written to different ministers to make it into reality."
"In fact, I have written 38 letters and memoranda to various ministers since June 29, 2009 and the last one was on December 29, 2020 and also raised nine questions and delivered 16 speeches in the Parliament for the Dhubri-Phulbari bridge," Ajmal said.
AIUDF recently joined the Congress-led grand alliance to fight the elections against BJP and its allies. Assembly elections in Assam is slated for April.
(With inputs from PTI)
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