By TIOL News Service

NEW DELHI, FEB 18, 2021: PRIME Minister Mr Narendra Modi on Thursday launched the Mahabahu-Brahmaputra connectivity initiative and laid the foundation stone of two bridges in Assam via videoconferencing.

Mr Modi lamented the fact that the river had not been utilised for providing seamless connectivity to the region yet.

"The work needed to be done on the Brahmaputra stalled for decades and connectivity in Assam and the entire northeast region remained a major challenge," said the PM.

He noted that the "double-engine" government at the Centre and in Assam have reduced the geographical and cultural distances in the entire northeast.

"Working towards Aatmanirbhar Assam," he said on Twitter.

The launch of Mahabahu-Brahmaputra was marked by the inauguration of the Ro-Pax vessel operations between Neamati-Majuli Island, North Guwahati-South Guwahati and Dhubri-Hatsingimari. Laying down of the foundation stone of the Inland Water Transport (IWT) Terminal at Jogighopa and various tourist jetties on River Brahmaputra and the launch of digital solutions for Ease-of-Doing-Business were also part of the initiative.

The PM also laid the foundation stone of India's longest bridge, spanning 19 km, which will connect Dhubri in Assam to Phulbari in Meghalaya, saying that it will reduce the 250-km distance between the States considerably. The bridge will be built at an approximate cost of Rs. 4,997 crore.

He also performed the ground-breaking ceremony for the two-lane Majuli bridge which will connect the riverine island to Jorhat and cost an estimated Rs. 925.47 crore, calling it the "bridge of convenience and possibilities."

The Prime Minister lauded Assam's Chief Minister Mr Sarbananda Sonowal and his government for their campaign to improve the regional connectivity and efforts to make Assam and the northeast a "hub of our cultural and business relations with other East Asian countries."

Work on inland waterways is going to make a major impact on India-Bangladesh and Bhutan connectivity and create an alternative route to connect the Brahmaputra in Assam with the Haldia Port and eventually Kolkata's Hooghly through the Jogighopa terminal.

He said the projects will enrich Assam's identity and expressed the hope that it will open new avenues of tourism to the State.

"We have to work collectively to make Assam and the northeast a strong pillar of Aatmanirbhar Bharat," concluded the Prime Minister.