13 Km Roads a Day, 5 Bridges a Week: Assam CM Highlights Infrastructure Surge

Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday said that his government has constructed 13 km of roads each day and five bridges every week.

In a post on X, the Chief Minister underscored the scale of road construction and bridge projects undertaken in the past few years, drawing a sharp comparison with the pace of development under earlier administrations.

“Assam is acing the connectivity game- both in speed and scale! Since 2021, we have built 13 km of roads each day and 5 bridges every week, bringing people closer and opening up opportunities for all”, Sarma wrote in microblogging site X.

Official figures shared by the government indicate that tens of thousands of kilometres of roads have either been constructed or upgraded, alongside more than a thousand bridges aimed at improving rural and urban connectivity.

The administration maintains that this expansion has reduced travel time, enhanced trade routes, and connected previously remote areas to economic hubs.

Several high-profile projects have symbolised this push. The inauguration of the Dhola–Sadiya Bridge, also known as the Bhupen Hazarika Setu, marked a strategic breakthrough by linking eastern Assam with Arunachal Pradesh.

More recently, the completion of the Kumar Bhaskar Varma Setu has strengthened connectivity between Guwahati and North Guwahati, easing congestion on existing routes.

The under-construction Dhubri-Phulbari Bridge, set to be one of India’s longest river bridges, is expected to improve connectivity between Assam and Meghalaya once operational.

Supporters of the current government argue that improved coordination with the Centre, faster clearances, and enhanced funding have enabled quicker execution of projects.

They claim that infrastructure growth has not only improved mobility but also strengthened disaster response mechanisms in flood-prone districts and boosted economic integration across the Brahmaputra valley.

Opposition leaders, however, contend that infrastructure expansion must be measured not only by numbers but also by quality, sustainability, and equitable distribution.

They argue that while the pace may have increased, long-term maintenance and environmental considerations should remain priorities.

With Assam heading toward electoral contests, roads and bridges have emerged as more than just infrastructure assets—they are now central to the state’s political narrative.

As the government continues to roll out new projects, connectivity has become both a development benchmark and a defining campaign theme.

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