India's Longest Rail-Road Link inaugurated after 21 Year wait
Sources from Guwahati stated that Assam’s long wait for the Bogibeel Bridge the longest rail cum road bridge will end when Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated it on Tuesday. Accordingly the 4.9km long bridge, which witnessed several protests and missed deadlines, will not only improve connectivity between the banks of the mighty Brahmaputra River, but also help the economic development of the region and strengthen the defense movement along the India-China frontiers.
Meanwhile the Bogibeel Bridge, an offshoot of the Assam Movement which culminated with the signing of the Assam Accord in 1985, is also recognized as Asia’s second longest bridge with three-lane roads on top and a double line rail below. Furthermore when speaking about the bridge, former Assam chief minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta, said “It has been a long pending demand of the people of the region and I feel glad that it has become a reality now.”
Moreover being built in prime location, the bridge also carries strategic importance to India by significantly enhancing its ability to transport troops and supplies to its data-border with Tibet in Arunachal Pradesh. Hence India and China share a nearly 4,000 km long data-border, with almost 75% in Arunachal Pradesh.