DHUBRI, Aug 2 - In a bid to convert the proposed Dhubri-Phulbari Road Bridge to a rail-cum-road bridge, a team comprising delegates from both Assam and Meghalaya met the Union Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, in his office at the Transport Bhaban, New Delhi.
Under the banner name of Dhubri-Phulbari Rail-cum-Road Bridge Sangram Committee, the delegates including Tura Lok Sabha MP Conrad K Sangma, ex-MLA Jainal Abedin, along with president of the committee, Girindra Nath Goswami, and members Kantimoy Deb, Azhar Hussain, Biswajit Kalita, Hasen Ali Sheikh met the Minister on Monday over the issue.
The delegation also briefed the Minister about the necessity of constructing a rail bridge along with the proposed road bridge between Dhubri and Phulbari on the river Brahmaputra, stated a press release.
It also stated that the Minister gave a gave a patient hearing to the issue and appreciated the move.
The members of the delegations stated that Gadkari has assured the delegation that he would consult with the Minister of Railways and do the needful for construction of the rail bridge along with the proposed road bridge. The delegation also informed that an inter-departmental meeting would be held on August 3 and the Minister asked the officials to include the issue of the rail-cum-road bridge in the agenda, stated a release.
It may be mentioned here that the committee had earlier met the Railway Minister, Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu, who assured that in coordination with the Road Transport Ministry, the construction work of the rail-cum-road bridge would be taken up at the earnest.
According to the members of the delegations, if the proposed road bridge is upgraded to a rail-cum-road bridge, then the economic and financial condition of the neighbouring State along with the districts of Dhubri and South Salmara will improvise considerably.