Remote? Sadiya to be only a bridge afar from next year

Sans hype, upcoming 9.15 km Dhola-Sadiya bridge to usher in development on north bank, Aruchal

BY Our Staff Reporter

Guwahati, June 29: When late Khagen Mahanta soulfully rendered his immortal Sadiya nu ki, ring etar baat, the sentiment of the song then was but a fond dream. Come 2017, Sadiya will virtually be ring etar baat away when the Dhola-Sadiya bridge is thrown open to the public.

Away from public glare, workers are silently but surely giving shape to the 9.15-km bridge - said to be one of the longest in Asia - and officials say it is expected to be iugurated early next year.

"We expect to iugurate the bridge in March next year. The main bridge is almost complete. Ninety percent of the work is done already. There is some work left on the approaches where work is stuck due to issues related to land hand-over," commissioner & special secretary, PWD (NH), Ajoy Bordoloi told The Sentinel.

Work on the bridge had started in June, 2011. There was not much hype, nor was any foundation stone laying function held. After a survey, the State's PWD (NH) division had prepared a DPR which the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways accepted in toto.

The work was awarded to Hyderabad-based yayuga Projects Pvt Ltd by the Central government.

The project comprises a total 28.511 km. While the main bridge is 9.15 km in length, the north approach is of 14.6 km and the south approach is of 9.9 km.

The estimated cost of the project is Rs 876 crore, of which Rs 400 crore is being spent on the bridge alone.

Construction of around 9 km of the bridge has been completed. There are some issues regarding handing over of 2 km stretch on the Sadiya side, but officials said those were being sorted out.

Executive engineer, PWD (NH), Dibrugarh division, Jatin th said now it takes on an average 2 hours to reach Sadiya through the river route. "Once the bridge is opened, the distance would be reduced to less than 30 minutes. Moreover, the tourists hubs in Aruchal Pradesh like Roying and Mayodiya will get a major boost," th said.

The bridge is expected to open the flood-gates of development in Sadiya, besides aiding water tourism and transport.