Staff Reporter
Guwahati: The Assam government has decided to construct 16 more bridges in six districts with an estimated cost of Rs 57.25 crore under the World Bank-funded Assam Resilient Rural Bridges Program. The districts where the new bridges are planned are Kokrajhar, Dhubri, South Salmara-Mankachar, Kamrup (Metro), Goalpara, and Barpeta. The World Bank had earlier decided to provide $452 million to Assam for the construction of 1,184 bridges in rural areas of the state.
According to Assam PWD (EAP) sources, three bridges will be constructed in Kokrajhar district: bridge no. 2/1 on Tipkai to Khangkhraibari Road, bridge no. 1/2 on Dhauliguri Dotma Road to FS Road via Molandubi, and bridge no. 1/1 on East Bechimari to Singhimari Road. Three bridges are also planned for Dhubri district: Moirakuchi to Airkata Barar Road, Hatipota Pt II to Fauzdarchar, and bridge no. 1/1 on Alomganj Fulkatari Road to Boro Chirakhowa. Kamrup (Metro) district will get five new bridges: Bridge No. 1/1 on Nitya Sapa Satra Road, bridge no. 1/1 on Saruphulguri Garuvitha Village Road, a bridge on Umsur Batabari Road, a bridge on Umsur Majpara Road, and bridge no. 1/1 on Mateikhar Milanpur Road.
Also, three new bridges will be constructed in Barpeta district: Bridge No. 1/1 on Batahu Nazir Path, bridge no. 1/1 on the Fehurakhowa to Chitkibari road, and bridge no. 1/1 at Mandia PHC (Gangar Ghat) to Patlikuchi. One bridge each will also be constructed in the Goalpara and South Salmara-Mankachar districts: Bridge No. 1/2 on Khalishavita Satsia Khamar Road in the Goalpara district and bridge no. 1/1 on Pankata Dubajani Road in the South Salmara-Mankachar district.
The PWD has already floated tenders for the construction of the above-mentioned bridges. The target of completion for some bridges is 30 months, some 24 months, and others 18 months.
According to PWD sources, the state government has planned to construct about 1,184 rural bridges across Assam in phases, and 34 districts in the state have been divided into four zones for this purpose.
The $452 million Assam Resilient Rural Bridges Program (ARRBP) aims to strengthen the resilience and management of roads and bridges to help people living in 1,739 villages gain round-the-year access to wholesale markets, schools, hospitals, and places of work. As a result of better connectivity, savings of more than $82 million within the next six years are expected against the earlier costs for people to travel to these places.
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