Guwahati, Nov 9 (IANS) Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has reiterated his government’s emphasis on expanding connectivity across the Brahmaputra, with plans for additional bridges expected to reshape transportation and economic activity in several parts of the state.
At a gathering in Lahowal in Dibrugarh, Sarma referred to the proposed bridge connecting Morigaon and Darrang across the Brahmaputra, saying that the project would be planned keeping in mind the importance and requirements of the region.
He said infrastructure development should be guided by the needs of the local population and the economic potential of the areas being connected.
The BJP government has increasingly projected bridge construction as one of its major development achievements in Assam, particularly in comparison with the infrastructure record of previous Congress governments.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a December 2025 address, said that only three major bridges had been built over the Brahmaputra in the six to seven decades after Independence, while four new mega bridges had been completed during the preceding decade.
CM Sarma had earlier claimed that six bridges had been built over the Brahmaputra during the BJP’s decade in power, compared with three during the Congress’s nearly six decades of rule. He had also said that construction was underway on another six bridges.
The major projects associated with the BJP period include the Dhola-Sadiya or Bhupen Hazarika Setu, inaugurated in 2017, and the Bogibeel road-cum-rail bridge, inaugurated in 2018. The second Saraighat bridge was also completed and dedicated to the nation during this period, although construction of some projects had begun under earlier governments.
The Dhola-Sadiya bridge provides connectivity between Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, while Bogibeel has strengthened road and railway connectivity between Dibrugarh and Dhemaji.
The Centre has also supported a series of new projects. These include the Dhubri-Phulbari bridge, the Gohpur-Numaligarh bridge and the Palashbari-Sualkuchi bridge.
The 2018 government announcement listed the first three as proposed projects at different stages of Detailed Project Report preparation. The scale of the proposed expansion is significant for a state where the Brahmaputra divides large geographical areas and affects the movement of people, goods and agricultural produce.
However, the comparison between the Congress and BJP periods requires a distinction between bridges completed, projects inaugurated, and construction initiated.
Some infrastructure projects inaugurated after 2014 had received approval or begun construction during the previous government. With the BJP government continuing to emphasise infrastructure development, the proposed Morigaon-Darrang connection and other bridge projects could become important additions to Assam’s connectivity network.
The government is expected to face scrutiny over project timelines, expenditure and completion, even as it presents bridge construction as evidence of a faster pace of development in the Northeast.
–IANS
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