PM opens bridge crucial for NE, takes aim at Cong
Says project would have finished sooner had Vajpayee returned to power; promises more development
NEWDELHI/GUWAHATI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated on Tuesday the Bogibeel Bridge in Assam that improves road and rail connectivity in the region, especially to Arunachal Pradesh, but pointed out that the project could have been completed by 2007-08 had former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee (December 25 was the 95th birth anniversary of the Bharatiya Janata Party leader who died August 16) got another term in 2004.
“There can’t be a better tribute to Atal-ji on his birthday,” Modi said.
The Bogibeel Bridge, which also facilitates the movement of troops in a strategically sensitive region, was part of the Assam Accord of 1985 and was finally sanctioned in the year 1997-98. The foundation stone of the project was laid by then Prime Minister, HD Deve Gowda, on January 22, 1997 and the work commenced under the watch of Vajpayee on April 21, 2002.
“This is good governance. There must be some people who were here 16 years ago when Atalji was here. Since then, a generation has changed, you have waited for long,” said Modi.
“You are witness to the fact that till 2014 less than 50% work was completed and only few pillars were seen. There is no doubt that had Atal Ji’s government got another term, this bridge would have been inaugurated in 2007-08.” he added, after inaugurating the two-tiered bridge and flagging off the first passenger train on the track.
The 4.94 km bridge connects Assam’s Dibrugarh on the south bank to Dhemaji, also in the state but close to the border with Arunachal, in the north and will boost defence logistics along the China border. It is also expected to reduce the travel time to people going to Arunachal Pradesh by road by at least eight hours and clip at least 14 hours of train journeys.
Lieutenant General SL Narasimhan (retd), a member of the National Security Advisory Board and a China expert, said the Bogibeel railroad bridge across the Brahmaputra is quite important in strategic terms as it makes the movement of military assets towards the border easier and swifter.
“Also, now there is redundancy in trans-brahmaputra movement with the availability of three bridges – Bogibeel, Sadiya and the one near Tezpur. The push for infrastructure development along the border coupled with the building of roads and bridges in the hinterland are positive developments,” he added.
Jantu Gogoi, who runs a travel agency in Dibrugarh said the bridge means he is no longer dependent on ferry services to take him to the North Bank of Brahmaputra and onwards to Arunachal Pradesh.