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How India's Longest Bridge, Dhola-Sadiya, Will Change Connectivity Between Assam And Arunachal

Bridging the gap.
PMO India/Twitter
@PMOIndia/Twitter
PMO India/Twitter

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Dhola-Sadia Bridge, the country's longest river bridge on Friday. The bridge connects the eastern most tip of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.

The PM inaugurated the ₹2,056 crore strategic bridge at Sadia in Assam's Tinsukia district and dedicated it to Assamese singer Bhupen Hazarika.

So, how is this bridge going to help?

1. The three lane, 9.15 kilometre Dhola-Sadiya bridge has been built over river Lohit, a tributary of the Brahmaputra, and links Dhola in Assam to Sadiya in Arunachal Pradesh. Earlier, the only means to cross the Brahmaputra at this location was by ferry in the daytime. And this wasn't possible during the floods. The bridge will finally ensure 24X7 connectivity.

2. The bridge is designed to facilitate the movement of battle tanks. It is expected to help movement of troops to the border with China in the Wallong-Kibithu sector in southern Arunachal Pradesh.

3. The bridge will, as the government claims, reduce the distance from Rupai on NH-37 in Assam to Meka/Roing on NH-52 in Arunachal Pradesh by 165km. This means it will take about one hour to travel that distance instead of six.

4. The government also said that the bridge will also facilitate numerous hydro power projects coming up in the state.

5. By providing efficient road connectivity to remote and backward areas, the bridge is expected to give a major boost to overall economic development of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.

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This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost India, which closed in 2020. Some features are no longer enabled. If you have questions or concerns about this article, please contact indiasupport@huffpost.com.