Eviction Drive Intensifies on Brahmaputra Banks for Proposed New Saraighat Bridge in Guwahati

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: An eviction drive has been intensified on both banks of the Brahmaputra as authorities are clearing encroached land for the proposed new Saraighat Bridge, which will connect the northern and southern banks of the river. The operation is being led by the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) with support from the district administration, according to an NFR official.

At Pandu, near Gate No. 6, more than 500 houses have been identified on land marked for clearance. Nearly 300 families have already been evicted, and the drive is expected to continue over the coming days. The land-clearance operation is underway at both ends of the proposed bridge site, spanning areas on both banks of the Brahmaputra. The cleared land is required not only for the bridge itself, but also for related infrastructure and approach roads.

Preliminary work on the connectivity project has progressed, with soil testing and technical investigations already completed at the site. The new bridge is expected to improve movement between the two banks of the Brahmaputra and strengthen road and rail connectivity in the region. It will provide an additional crossing over the river and enhance transportation links in and around Guwahati.

However, the eviction drive has raised concerns among affected residents, many of whom have lived in the area for years. With the clearance operation gathering pace, questions regarding the rehabilitation and relocation of displaced families are coming to the fore. Authorities are expected to continue the eviction and land-clearance efforts as preparatory work for the proposed bridge advances.

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