New Delhi [India], February 14 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday hailed the inauguration of the Kumar Bhaskar Varma Setu across the Brahmaputra, calling it a "vital infrastructure project" for Guwahati and surrounding areas.
In a post on his official X handle, PM Modi said the bridge will provide smoother and more convenient access for pilgrims visiting the Kamakhya Temple.
"Kumar Bhaskar Varma Setu across the Brahmaputra is a vital infrastructure project for Guwahati and areas around it. Connectivity, comfort and commerce will be significantly enhanced. It will enable devotees to go to the Kamakhya Temple with greater ease," PM Modi wrote on X.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Kumar Bhaskar Varma Setu across the Brahmaputra River today to improve connectivity within Guwahati.
The 6-lane extradosed Prestressed Concrete (PSC) bridge, built at a cost of around Rs 3,030 crore, connects Guwahati with North Guwahati and is the first extradosed bridge in Northeast India.
It will cut travel time between Guwahati and North Guwahati to seven minutes. Given the region's high seismicity, the bridge incorporates base isolation using friction pendulum bearings.
High-performance stay cables have been used to ensure durability and long-term structural performance. A Bridge Health Monitoring System (BHMS) has also been incorporated to enable real-time condition monitoring, early damage detection, and improved safety and service life of the extradosed bridge.
Earlier, PM Modi was welcomed on the stage by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, in Dibrugarh.
During his visit to Assam, the Indian Air Force conducted an air display at the Emergency Landing Facility (ELF) on Moran Bypass in Dibrugarh on Saturday, with its Sukhoi Su-30MKI and Rafale fighter jets taking off in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other dignitaries watching the air display.