Guwahati buzzed with excitement as Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Rs 3,030 crore Kumar Bhaskar Varma Setu over the Brahmaputra, revolutionizing travel across Assam’s lifeline river. Spanning 2.86 km with six lanes, this extradosed PSC bridge—the Northeast’s first—links Guwahati and North Guwahati, trimming a arduous journey to a swift seven minutes.
Engineered for durability in a seismically active belt, the structure boasts friction pendulum bearings for base isolation, high-performance stay cables, and a real-time Bridge Health Monitoring System. These innovations guarantee safety and longevity amid the region’s challenging terrain and frequent tremors.
Modi’s visit packed a double punch: he also commissioned the Northeast’s inaugural Emergency Landing Facility (ELF) in Dibrugarh’s Moran on a 4.2-km national highway stretch. Capable of handling fighter jets and civilian planes, it offers vital backup during emergencies, strengthening aerial operations near borders.
The IAF stole the show post-launch with a thrilling display—Rafales, Sukhois, and MiGs thundering down the highway runway. Over 100,000 attendees cheered the spectacle, marking a milestone in national security. This ELF enhances swift deployment in critical zones, blending civilian highway use with military might.
These projects exemplify India’s push for ‘Atmanirbhar’ infrastructure, fostering trade, tourism, and defense resilience. As Modi put it, ‘Connectivity is the bridge to progress.’ Assam’s transformation accelerates, promising jobs, growth, and unbreakable links.