DHUBRI, Oct 27 - The process of land acquisition to construct roads to facilitate the free flow of traffic on India�s longest bridge, to be built over the mighty Brahmaputra connecting Dhubri in Assam and Phulbari in Meghalaya has started in full swing.
This 20-km-long bridge that will reduce a 203-km-long road distance to a mere 19.3 km, will be a four-lane bridge and is estimated to be completed by 2026-27. To maintain free flow of traffic on this bridge and to utilise it to the maximum, the Ministry of Highways has taken up two different approach roads� the National Highway 127B and to develop the existing Dhubri-Kochugaon road. The bridge is estimated to cost more than Rs 4000 crore.
Talking to this scribe, an official engaged with the work informed that survey work of land acquisition for the 43-km-long National Highway 127 B, which will be constructed from Alamganj to Kalarhat, Sulibhangi, has been almost completed. They informed that due to some dispute in alignment between Kalarhat, Sulibhangi to Dhelkhowa, the work was disrupted.
Another road to be used for a similar purpose is the already existing Dhubri-Kochugaon road, which is in a very deplorable condition. However, after reconstruction, this road will connect the NH 127B with Assam-West Bengal entry point at Shrirampur, Bongaigaon. Both these roads will meet at Balajan area of Dhubri district.
�Both these roads will be the lifeline of the bridge,� said SDO Dhubri HP Rajkumar. The SDO also stated that the survey has been completed except for a 2-km stretch, �The map for these roads have been prepared. And after the completion of the survey work, the estimates will also be prepared�. He also said that the dispute in the 2 km stretch is because there is a mixure of khas and patta land in that area and the entire work of acquisition is going as per Assam Right to Fair Compensation Act.
It may be mentioned that the Japanese funding agency, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has approved a loan for the construction of this bridge and the National Highways and Industrial Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) is looking after the entire work.
