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NEW DELHI:
Asia's longest bridge on Brahmaputra, which will reduce travel time between Assam and Arunachal Pradesh by four hours, will be opened for public on May 26 coinciding with Modi government's three years in power.
The Dhola-Sadiya bridge, capable of withstanding the weight of a 60-tonne battle tank, will improve the movement of civilian and military vehicles to strategic locations up to Anini in Arunachal Pradesh. Anini is barely 100km from China border.
While the inauguration of the 9.15km bridge by Prime Minister Narendra Modi just before the monsoon is being seen as a big gift to the people of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, who either take a long detour to cross the river or spend over four hours crossing the mighty Bramhaputra in a ferry, it has huge strategic importance as well.
At present, there is no bridge fortified for passage of tanks around Tinsukia from where troops can cross over to Arunachal Pradesh. Moreover, it will cut time for the armed forces to reach the border in Dibang and Anjaw via Tezpur, which takes two days (about 186km from Guwahati) now.
TOI had reported in September that the road transport and highway ministry was working hard to make the bridge operational before this monsoon. The two-lane bridge has been built with design speed of 100kmph to facilitate fast movement.
News agency PTI quoted Assam CM Sarbanada Sonowal saying that the PM will dedicate the bridge on May 26.