Guwahati to get the longest-ever elevated corridor in Northeast

 5-km Dighalipukhuri-Noonmati flyover to cost Rs 689.98 crore

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The state PWD is all set to construct the Northeast’s longest-ever elevated corridor (flyover) in Guwahati. Following a directive from the Chief Minister, who holds the PWD portfolio, the department has gone a long way towards the implementation of the project.

The State Government will implement the project—construction of a four-lane elevated corridor on Gopinath Bordoloi Road from near Dighalipukhuri towards Noonmati near FCI Godown with a two-lane extended arm towards Rajgarh Road in Guwahati city—with its own fund under the SOPD (state-owned priority development) head.

The Chief Engineer, PWD (roads), floated the tender for this project in May of this year. PWD completed the evaluation of tenders and sent the results to the government for approval. PWD will issue the work order to the lowest bidder after receiving approval from the state government. The department expects that the project will start by the end of this year or early next year.

The length of the elevated corridor is about five km, and according to the tender, its estimated cost is Rs 689.98 crore with a completion period of 36 months.

According to PWD sources, the mega project is to ease traffic congestion in Guwahati with a long-term vision. The elevated corridor will have a rotary-like intersection at Chandmari with a two-lane arm protruding to Rajgarh Road.

When asked if the PWD had thought of constructing a road along the railway lines in this stretch from near Dighalipukhuri to Noonmati, a source in the PWD said, “We had no such plan. It is not feasible either”.

A few days ago, the Chief Minister said that the government would start the construction of the elevated corridor shortly, from the Noonmati end to Chandmari and from Dighalipukhuri to Gauhati Club first. The construction work needs a specific strategy since the road witnesses more vehicular traffic. He also said that the project would affect traffic flow to some extent, at least for two years, and commuters would have to bear with the government. The completion of the flyover would provide parking places under it, and that would benefit the businessmen, the Chief Minister said.

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