CM sets June 20 deadline for old Saraighat bridge repair

Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal Monday directed the railway authorities to complete the repairing work of the old Saraighat bridge over river Brahmaputra in Guwahati within June 20.

Sonowal visited the work site and told the railway authorities to engage manpower in three shifts and complete casting work of the bridge within May 15.

"The Saraighat bridge is a lifeline in terms of connectivity for the people of north and south bank of river Brahmaputra. It is very important to complete the repairing work at the earliest to ensure hassle free traffic movement for the people on both banks of the river," Sonowal told to the railway officials at the site.

Sonowal further directed that the repair works of the bridge be completed within June 20 instead of June 30 as fixed earlier by the railways and also to finish casting of the bridge within May 15 so that it could be reopened for vehicular movement on June 20.

Further, considering the amount of repair work to be executed, Sonowal advised the railways to engage manpower in three shifts ensuring round the clock work instead of the present two shifts.

N-F Railway general manager Sanjive Roy informed the chief minister that it is for the first time a major repair of this scale has been taken up since the time of dedication of the bridge to the service of the people in 1963.

The railway officials assured the chief minister that the repair work would be completed within June 20 as directed by him.

Saraighat bridge is the first rail-cum-road bridge constructed over Brahmaputra river in Assam and it was built by NFR. A parallel new three-lane Saraighat bridge was inaugurated in 2017.