- India
- Dec 26
Northeast India gets a new lifeline
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 25 inaugurated the 4.94 km-long Bogibeel bridge in Assam, which improves rail and road connectivity across the Brahmaputra river. Built at an estimated cost of more than Rs 5,000 crore, the bridge is expected to benefit at least five million people living in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh and significantly enhance India’s defence capability by ensuring faster movement of troops and supplies to the eastern border with China. Modi described the bridge as a “lifeline” for the people of Assam and the Northeast. “The dedication of the historic Bogibeel rail-cum-road bridge is a symbol of good governance. This bridge is a marvel of engineering and technology, and is of immense strategic significance,” he said.
Who will benefit from the bridge?
The Bogibeel bridge will provide connectivity to nearly five million people residing in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. It will reduce the travel time from Assam to Arunachal Pradesh to four hours - the detour of more than 170 km via Tinsukia has now become history. The distance from Dibrugarh to Itanagar will be reduced by 150 km and the rail distance between the two places will be shortened by 700 km. It will also reduce the train travel time from New Delhi to Dibrugarh to 34 hours from the current 37 hours. “Dibrugarh is an important centre of healthcare, education and commerce in the region, and people living north of the Brahmaputra can now access this city more conveniently,” said Modi.
What are the key features of the bridge?
The 4.94 km-long double-decker strategic bridge has been built by HCC. Designed like the bridge that links Sweden and Denmark, it is the country’s first fully-welded steel bridge and the world’s longest incrementally launched steel bridge. It has a three-lane road on top and two railway tracks below.
Where is it located?
It is located 17 km downstream of Dibrugarh in Assam, the third largest city in the Northeast, and connects to Dhemaji. It will allow rail and road access to upper Assam and eastern Arunachal Pradesh, the northeastern tip of the country.
When did the work begin?
The bridge has been three decades in the making. The proposal dates back to the Assam Accord of 1985. It was approved by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs in 1997 and the foundation stone was laid on January 22, 1997, by the then Prime Minister, H.D. Deve Gowda. The construction was inaugurated on April 21, 2002, by the then PM, Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The bridge was inaugurated on December 25 by Modi.
Why is it being called a 'lifeline'?
The bridge benefits tourists, traders and those seeking medical treatment. Dibrugarh, considered a gateway to parts of Arunachal Pradesh, is home to Assam Medical College. For patients on the north bank, the only crossing into Dibrugarh so far was by ferry, which could take up to a couple of hours. A train can cross the new bridge in five minutes.
How will it help our security forces?
The Bogibeel bridge will facilitate the movement of troops along the Indo-China border in Arunachal Pradesh. Travelling to the furthest most point of India’s border with China will be shortened by several hundred kilometres. The bridge has been designed to bear the weight of India’s heaviest 60 tonne battle tanks and so that fighter jets can land on it. A Northeast Frontier Railway spokesperson said the bridge will provide logistical support for the Indian Army manning the border.
Did you know?In October, the Centre announced a plan for the construction of a 19-km bridge over the Brahmaputra from Dhubri in Assam to Phulbari in Meghalaya.