Guwahati (Assam) [India], September 27 : Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday inaugurated a 290 m-long road overbridge (ROB) at Panbazar in Guwahati.
Constructed by the Northeast Frontier Railway at a cost of Rs 47 crore, the ROB is seen as a milestone aimed at easing traffic congestion in the city.
The inaugural ceremony was attended by several distinguished dignitaries, including Jayanta Mallabaruah, Assam's Minister of Housing & Urban Affairs, MP Bijuli Kalita Medhi, MLA Siddhartha Bhattacharya, Mrigen Sarania, Mayor of Guwahati Municipal Corporation, and Chetan Kumar Shrivastava, General Manager of N.F. Railway; Samir Lohani, Divisional Railway Manager, Lumding, along with senior officials from the Railways and the state government.
On the occasion, the Chief Minister stated that the new Road Over Bridge will ease traffic congestion, enable faster movement of electric trains and support ongoing development work at Guwahati Railway Station.
He also highlighted key railway initiatives in the region, including the redevelopment of 50 stations under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme in Assam, as well as rapid progress in electrification and the construction of a new double line, along with a bridge at Saraighat.
The Chief Minister also stated that the Ministry of Railways has sanctioned the double-line projects between Lumding and Furkating, and between Furkating and New Tinsukia. Once completed, these projects will significantly improve connectivity, making it easier for passengers to travel to Delhi and Kolkata.
The Chief Minister highlighted the historic rail connectivity provided to Mizoram under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and expressed gratitude to the Northeast Frontier Railway and Indian Railways for their continued efforts in transforming the region's rail infrastructure.
The ROB has a 7.5 m wide carriageway, a 1.5 m wide footpath, and is supported by 41 foundation piles.
Equipped with advanced engineering elements such as a 60-metre Bow String Girder and composite girders, the structure ensures improved vertical and horizontal clearances for transportation. This will enable the smooth movement of trains, including electric locomotives and over-dimensional consignments, while also helping to alleviate road congestion in the busy Panbazar-Paltan Bazar corridor in Guwahati.
The old Panbazar ROB, constructed in 1965, had served the city for nearly six decades but had become inadequate due to its narrow width, low clearance and frequent waterlogging. These shortcomings not only created severe traffic congestion but also disrupted the operation of electrified trains.
To address these issues and meet the growing transport needs of the state capital city, NFR initiated the replacement project in March 2024.
Despite the complexity of dismantling and modern construction, the project was successfully completed in August 2025, within the 18-month timeframe.
With the commissioning of this important project, Guwahati gains a vital infrastructure that promises safer, faster and more reliable connectivity. The new Panbazar ROB will not only benefit citizens and road users but also facilitate faster train operations, support the re-modelling of Guwahati Railway Station and strengthen multimodal transport.