Guwahati (Assam) [India], July 6 : As a significant example of rapid infrastructural progress, the newly constructed flyover connecting Rukminigaon Road and Bormotoria Link Road at Downtown Point in Guwahati was inaugurated on Sunday by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
Completed in just nine months - half the originally sanctioned period of eighteen months - this Rs. 112 crore, 660-metre-long, four-lane structure was officially designated as Bhagadatta Flyover-2 in honour of King Bhagadatta of Kamarupa.
Additionally, the flyover located in the Super Market area of the city would henceforth be known as Bhagadatta Flyover-1.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Chief Minister Sarma stated that the new flyover forms part of the state government's broader initiative to improve Guwahati's urban transport infrastructure and alleviate persistent traffic congestion in the area.
He highlighted that the entire construction team comprised young professionals from Assam and that the project represents only the second instance in the country of a flyover constructed using advanced composite structure technology by the Government of India's agency, RITES India Limited.
He added that provisions have also been made for vehicle parking beneath the structure to support local commercial establishments.
The Chief Minister noted that the current administration is committed to development rooted in both technological advancement and cultural heritage.
The naming of the flyovers after King Bhagadatta, he explained, is intended to familiarise younger generations with the ancient legacy of Kamrup and Guwahati.
He outlined several upcoming infrastructure initiatives, including a ramp addition to the Ganeshguri flyover, new flyovers at Arya Nagar, Maligaon, and Radha Govinda Baruah Road, and an elevated corridor at Bharalumukh.
"Flyovers at the Cycle Factory area and Bharalumukh are scheduled for inauguration in February next year, while the Noonmati-Chandmari flyover is expected to open by April. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is slated to lay the foundation stone for the proposed Narengi-Kurua bridge and the Guwahati Ring Road in September. The bridge linking Guwahati and North Guwahati is set to be opened in January next year. Additionally, a new terminal building at Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport would be inaugurated in November, alongside the commencement of an elevated corridor connecting the airport to Jalukbari, to be implemented by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways within the current year," the Chief Minister said.
CM Sarma stated that Guwahati is emerging as a major centre of employment, not only for Assam but for the broader North Eastern region.
Livelihood opportunities for approximately 10 lakh individuals have been created in the city, reiterating the government's commitment to reducing outward migration for employment among the state's youth, he said.
The Narengi-Kurua and Guwahati-North Guwahati bridges, he noted, are expected to expand the city's spatial footprint while simultaneously enhancing job availability.
"Several multinational firms have reportedly expressed interest in establishing call centres in Guwahati. In parallel, infrastructure development efforts are underway in other cities, including Dibrugarh, Jorhat, Tezpur, and Silchar. Two flyovers have already been completed in Dibrugarh and Jorhat, and a third project in Jorhat is scheduled to begin next year," he said.
The Chief Minister concluded by stating that Assam is progressing economically as a result of the present administration's development agenda, noting that the Reserve Bank of India recognised Assam last year as the third most economically progressive state in the country.
At the event, he also felicitated the engineers and representatives of the construction agency responsible for Bhagadatta Flyover-2.