Futuristic infra projects to make Guwahati Gateway to Southeast Asia, says Assam PWD Minister

GUWAHATI:

Futuristic projects taken up by the Assam public works department will soon transform Guwahati into the Gateway to Southeast Asia, said state PWD minister Himanta Biswa Sarma while inaugurating two escalator-based footbridges at GS Road on Monday.

“Assam PWD has taken various steps to transform Guwahati into the “Gateway to South East Asia”. Two more footbridges are coming up at Khanapara and Kamakhya Gate this month. Besides, we plan to complete all footbridges in the city by March 31, 2021,” Sarma said.

About Rs. 20 crores was incurred for constructing the two footbridges at Christian Basti and ABC Point, within a kilometre’s distance from one another.

Equipped with automated elevators and ramps for physically challenged commuters, two-way escalators, customised perforated screen cladding and special illumination, the footbridges will allow pedestrians of all ages to easily cross the busy arterial road from both sides.

The minister said that the department had taken all precautions and measures to ensure that normal traffic flow on the road was not affected during construction of the footbridges and that the width of the road was enough for vehicles to pass.

Highlighting the ongoing PWD projects in the city, Sarma said that work on a 5.5km long six-lane flyover connecting Gauhati Club with Noonmati, also linking RG Baruah Road and Rajgarh Road, would begin next year.

“The design for the project is being prepared,” he said.

“The Super Market flyover will be ready by Bohag Bihu (April) this year with 70 per cent of the work already over. Work on the flyover at Maligaon is underway while work on another flyover at Sarabhatti will begin in a week,” the PWD minister said.

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Sarma said an alternative road to Kamakhya Temple was likely to be opened to people after ten days, even as land acquisition and clearance for some portions were yet to be achieved.

Informing that the Guwahati-North Guwahati Bridge will be ready by the first month of 2023, Sarma said the Rs 2,600-crore project would be the department’s biggest project, and 30 per cent work has been completed.

“This bridge will be of a very high standard and in the league of those in the metropolitan cities. We also plan to promote the site as a tourist hotspot in the coming years,” he said.

(Edited by Ladiangti Rani)

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