Guwahati, February 14: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday launched a series of significant projects in Assam, including a state-of-the-art bridge over the Brahmaputra River, a new Indian Institute of Management (IIM), a data centre, and 225 electric buses aimed at boosting the region's infrastructure and connectivity.
The initiatives, launched just months ahead of the Assam assembly elections, are designed to enhance connectivity, bolster digital infrastructure, promote higher education, and improve public transport across the northeastern state.
PM Modi arrived in Assam for a day-long visit, where he also inaugurated an emergency landing facility (ELF) at Moran in Dibrugarh district, alongside projects totaling over Rs 5,500 crore. The first of these projects was the Kumar Bhaskar Varma Setu, a six-lane bridge constructed over the Brahmaputra. Built at an investment of Rs 3,030 crore, this bridge is the first extradosed bridge in the Northeast and will provide a direct link between Guwahati and North Guwahati.
The bridge, which took four years to complete, will dramatically reduce travel time between the two areas, from 30 minutes to just seven minutes. The structure spans 7.75 km, including approach roads and flyovers, with the bridge itself extending 1.24 km across the river. The bridge incorporates advanced safety features, including friction pendulum bearings for seismic protection, high-performance stay cables for durability, and a Bridge Health Monitoring System (BHMS) for real-time safety assessments.
Assam Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya and Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma joined the Prime Minister at the inauguration, where Modi also took a walk on the bridge to inspect the work. The project was implemented by the Assam Public Works Department with consultancy services from Systra Engenharia Consultoria Ltd. and was funded by the New Development Bank.
The bridge will remain pedestrian-only until February 28, allowing for final inspections and safety checks.
In the afternoon, Modi inaugurated the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Guwahati's temporary campus. The permanent campus, estimated at Rs 555 crore, will be located in Palasbari, near Guwahati, and is expected to significantly enhance management education in the region. IIM Guwahati becomes the second IIM in the Northeast and the 22nd in India, following Shillong’s IIM. The institute's academic sessions will commence from a transit campus at Tech City, Bongora, under the supervision of IIM Ahmedabad.
Additionally, the Prime Minister virtually launched a new National Data Centre (NDC) in Amingaon, Kamrup district. The Rs 348 crore centre will host critical government applications and serve as a disaster recovery facility for other NDCs across the country. The data centre will improve digital service delivery for citizens in the Northeast, aligning with the Digital India vision and strengthening the region's ICT infrastructure.
Finally, Modi flagged off 225 electric buses under the PM-eBus Sewa Scheme, aimed at improving urban mobility and reducing pollution. Of the total buses, 100 will be deployed in Guwahati, with 50 each for Nagpur and Bhavnagar, and 25 for Chandigarh. The buses are expected to benefit over 50 lakh citizens by providing reliable and eco-friendly public transport options.
