Road connectivity in the North-East is set to see a major transformation. Prime minister Narendra Modi today inaugurated the country’s longest river bridge – the Dhola- Sadiya Bridge – in Assam.

This new, three-lane, 9.15-kilometre-long bridge has been built over the river Lohit, a tributary of the Brahmaputra, linking Dhola to Sadiya in Assam. The bridge will fill a huge connectivity gap that has existed in the region. Till now, the only means to cross the Brahmaputra at this location has been by ferry, that too only in day-time. The Dhola-Sadiya bridge now ensures 24x7 connectivity between upper Assam and the eastern part of Arunachal Pradesh. 

The bridge will also reduce the distance from Rupai on NH-37 in Assam to Meka/Roing on NH-52 in Arunachal Pradesh by 165km. The travel time between the two places will come down from the current six hours to just one hour – a total five hour reduction. This will result in saving of petrol and diesel worth Rs 10 lakh per day.

The Dhola-Sadiya Bridge has been constructed on a BOT annuity basis at a total cost of Rs 2,056 crore, as part of the Arunachal Package of Roads and Highways under the Ministry’s Special Accelerated Road Development Programme for North East (SARDP-NE).

Later, addressing a public meeting at Dhola, the prime minister said the eastern and north-eastern parts of the country have the greatest potential for economic development.

 Images: PIB