Guwahati: Adding another chapter towards the current Assam government’s initiatives aimed at transforming Guwahati, the largest city in Northeast India, into the “Gateway to Southeast Asia” and to ease the city’s traffic congestion woes, state Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday (January 1) laid the foundation stone for a 4-lane ‘elevated corridor,’ or a flyover, measuring 5,053.20 metres in length and standing at a minimum height of 5.70 metres to be built at a projected cost of Rs 852.68 crore.
The flyover would connect Dighalipukhuri with Noonmati and have extended arms towards GNB Road, West Dighalipukhuri Road and Rajgarh Road.
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To be built under the overall supervision of Assam government’s Public Works (Roads) Department, the elevated corridor, to be the longest in the city on its completion, is scheduled to become operational by 2026.
Speaking on the occasion, Assam chief minister Sarma said the government has been working relentlessly to transform the state into a developed one in near future.
The design of the flyover for which foundation stone has been laid today is a manifestation of the fact that the State is moving towards a new dawn, the Assam CM stated.
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“Elements such as a rotary over the existing flyover at Chandmari, rotary over the existing rotary at Guwahati Club area would mark a new beginning in the field of road infrastructure engineering in the state,” Chief Minister Sarma said.
Chief Minister Sarma exuded confidence that the flyover on its completion would aid in seamless and smooth traffic movement in the city for the next 25 years.
“The government shall take all measures possible to minimise inconveniences to the general public during the period of construction of the flyover. The aim is to complete the construction activities within a period of two years and six months. Apart from easing traffic woes, the flyover would also provide a boost to the business establishments along the Dighalipukhuri to Noonmati stretch of road by providing the much-needed parking spaces that would be available below the flyover,” Chief Minister Sarma added.
Indicating the state government’s commitments towards incorporating eco-friendly measures in policy-making, Assam Chief Minister Sarma said there will be a departure from the earlier practice of felling of trees and instead, focus will be on using technologies such as transplanting or relocating of trees for the construction of the flyover.
Referring to the massive public infrastructure development projects currently at various stages of development or are scheduled to be launched, Chief Minister Sarma said all such initiatives collectively would transform Guwahati into a city that would be comparable to some of the highly urbanised cities in the rest of the country.
“A stretch of the ongoing river-front development project on the south bank of the mighty Brahmaputra river in Guwahati shall be ceremonially opened for the public on coming January 19,” the Chief Minister said.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that it would immensely boost the city’s tourism potential.
“The Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) section of the project shall be completed within a period of six months. The Kamakhya corridor development project, on its completion, would contribute significantly towards religious tourism and pilgrimage. The works on the upcoming ropeway project connecting Kamakhya railway station with the Kamakhya temple shall begin very soon,” Chief Minister Sarma added.
On February 28, the stretch of the new bridge over river Brahmaputra connecting Bhootnath with Machkhowa will be inaugurated, Chief Minister Sarma further added while exuding confidence that this would greatly reduce traffic congestion currently observed near Bharalumukh.
Chief Minister Sarma declared that Mission Basundhara 4.0, aimed exclusively at resolving land-related issues in Guwahati, shall be launched by the government and that he shall be visiting the office of Kamrup Metropolitan District Commissioner (DC) at a regular interval of 15 days with the aim of streamlining its work-culture. He expressed hopes the outcomes of all the above and other initiatives would be visible for all to see in days to come and the city would one day transform into the “Gateway to Southeast Asia”.