Bogibeel bridge
File photo of Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal inspecting the progress of the construction work of Bogibeel Bridge. Image credit - Northeast Now

Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Sunday arrived in Dibrugarh to take stock of the final preparation ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Dibrugarh for inauguration of the Bogibeel Bridge on December 25.

According to official sources, Chief Minister Sonowal who was supposed to hold a review meeting on Sunday with all the officials of the district administrations but due to some reasons, he had to cancel the meeting. CM Sonowal will take stock of the final preparation on Monday.

Also read: Assam: Modi ‘blacks out’ media from Bogibeel Bridge inauguration

Finally, after almost 17 years of long wait, the stage is set for the opening of the Bogibeel Bridge on December 25. With Prime Minister Modi arriving to dedicate India’s longest rail-cum-road bridge to the nation, railway authorities and the district administrations of Dibrugarh and Dhemaji districts have been working round-the-clock to ensure that there is no last-minute hiccups to the historic event.

Also read: Ahead of Bogibeel bridge inauguration, affected families demand compensation

Around two lakh people from Assam and Arunachal Pradesh are expected to attend the Prime Minister’s public rally that will be held at Kareng Chapori on the north bank of the Brahmaputra in Dhemaji district. Security has been beefed up in both the sides to thwart any kind of untoward incidents before the inauguration.

Dibrugarh Deputy Commissioner Laya Madduri on Sunday said the Dibrugarh district administration has taken all necessary arrangements for a smooth inaugural programme.

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“The people, who are willing to attend the PM’s meeting in the north bank at Kareng Chapori on December 25, will be allowed to cross the Bogibeel Bridge from south bank side till 11:30 am. The programme will start at Kareng Chapori at 10 am. The bridge will remain temporarily closed until the whole crowd disperses from the venue after the PM’s meeting,” said Madduri.

Prime Minister Modi will land at Mohanbari airport at 1:25 pm on December 25.

He will proceed towards Bogibeel by helicopter to inaugurate the bridge in the south bank of the Brahmaputra at Dibrugarh.

The PM also will flag off the 1st passenger train from Dibrugarh to cross the bridge and then proceed towards the north bank through the bridge by car. He will address the public at Kareng Chapori under Dhemaji district in the north bank.

Assam Governor Jagdish Mukhi; Union Railway Minister Piyush Goyal; Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal; Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu; MoS for Railways Rajen Gohain; MoS for Home Kiren Rijiju; DoNER Minister Jitendra Singh; Assam Finance & Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma; MPs Rameswar Teli, Pradan Baruah, MLAs Prashanta Phukan, Bhubon Pegu and Chakradhar Gogoi will also be present on the occasion.

Avik Chakraborty is Northeast Now Correspondent in Dibrugarh. He can be reached at: [email protected]