DIBRUGARH, Aug 11 � The ambitious Bogibeel project of the Indian Railways is likely to get a much needed booster, with the work order for the super structure of the 4.9 km-long Bogibeel-rail-cum-road bridge likely to be issued this month.
The bridge was scheduled for completion by 2012, but due to various administrative delays, members of the public may finally get to use the bridge sometime in 2015.
BJP leader and former Dibrugarh MP, Sarbananda Sonowal told this newspaper today that he has met the Railway Board Member (Engineering), AP Mishra in New Delhi today, where the top railway official disclosed that the file relating to issuance of the work order has been cleared and is awaiting final disposal by Railway Minister Dinesh Trivedi. Mishra said he was optimistic that the work order for the super structure of the Bogibeel bridge should be executed this month itself.
The cost of the bridge has more than doubled, following the delay in construction. From an initially estimated Rs 1,767 crore, the revised estimates peg the cost of the bridge at Rs 3,230.02 crore. The foundation of the bridge was laid on April 21, 2002, for the second time, by the then Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee. In January 1997, his predecessor, HD Deve Gowda completed a similar ritual near Dhemaji. When Vajpayee did the honours, he then made a public declaration here that day that the bridge would be ready for the public in five years� time! More than twice that time frame has already passed by.
The inordinate delay in the construction of the Bogibeel bridge has resulted in more than doubling of the cost of the project. This despite the fact that the Bogibeel project is a national project, monitored by the Prime Minister�s Office, and there is no paucity of finances to complete the work.
Former DoNER Minister BK Handique and the present DoNER Minister of State Paban Singh Ghatowar too have expressed their displeasure at the slow progress of works on the project. Both the political leaders have written to the Prime Minister, seeking early completion of the bridge.