Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate India’s longest rail-cum-road bridge – Bogibeel Bridge on the Brahmaputra in Assam today. He will also flag off the first passenger train over the bridge. The 4.9 kilometre long bridge has a two-line railway track on the lower deck and a three-lane road on the top deck. The Bridge is situated 17 km downstream of Dibrugarh city in Assam.

The Bogibeel bridge, constructed at an estimated cost of around 5,900 crore rupees, has a serviceable period of around 120 years. AIR correspondent reports that the rail link connects two existing railway networks running at south bank and north bank of the river.

Bogibeel bridge, Asia’s second longest rail-cum-road bridge will be opened to traffic today.  his bridge will be the lifeline of the north eastern part of the country and will facilitate connectivity between Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. It will save a lot of time both in terms of road and rail travel. It will also reduce Delhi to Dibrugarh train-travel time by about three hours to 34 hours as against 37 hours presently.

The bridge will enhance the national security of the eastern region by facilitating swift movement of defence forces and their equipment. It will also boost connectivity for around 50 lakh people residing in Upper Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. Talking to AIR, Chief Engineer of the project, Mohinder Singh said, the bridge is India’s only fully welded bridge and 80 thousand tonnes of steel plates have been used. The iconic Bogibeel bridge is an architectural wonder and looks even more impressive as it spreads over the mighty Brahmaputra river.

The foundation stone of the project was laid by former Prime Minister H D Deve Gouda on January, 1997, while work commenced on 21st of April, 2002 under the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led government.