Guwahati: The longest bridge of the country, Dhola-Sadiya bridge, was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday. Modi named the bridge after late playback singer Bhupen Hazarika. The bridge is constructed over the Brahmaputra river in Assam.
Marking the third anniversary of the NDA government at the Centre, the prime minister dedicated the bridge to the nation.
The bridge between Dhola and Sadiya in Assam’s Tinsukia district is 9.15 km long. The bridge will shorten the distance between the state and Arunachal Pradesh by 165 km and will reduce the travel time between the two states by five hours.
The over Rs 950 crore bridge which assumes strategic significance given its posistion vis-a-vis the Indo-China border in Arunachal Pardesh, will give a major boost to tourism.
The new bridge across the Lohit river that can withstand the weight of 60-tonne battle tanks, will provide easy access to the Indian Army to reach the country’s eastern borders.
Modi inaugurated the bridge by cutting a red ribbon and walking a few meters on it. He waved to the hundreds of people waiting there.
The Prime Minister, accompanied by Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Assam Governor Banwarilal Purohit and Union Transport and Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari, travelled in a cavalcade on the bridge for about two km towards Sadiya before returning to Dhola.
Earlier on Friday, on the third anniversary of his taking over as the Prime Minister, Modi arrived here on a day-long visit with the launch of several new projects in the state on his itinerary.
Besides the Chief Minister and Governor, several other dignitaries were present at the Dibrugarh airport to receive the Prime Minister.
