Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the six-lane Kumar Bhaskar Varma Setu over the Brahmaputra River todat. The bridge is expected to cut travel time between South Guwahati and North Guwahati from 45 to 60 minutes to just 7 to 10 minutes.
The 1.24-kilometre bridge is built in an extradose design. It is part of an 8.4-kilometre connectivity corridor. The bridge is built at a cost of approximately Rs 3,300 crore.
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Why Is The Bridge Important?
The bridge will provide relief from traffic congestion in Assam’s state capital, Guwahati. Prior to the construction of this bridge, the city only had one bridge, the Saraighat bridge which led to a congestion of vehicles on the bridge. However, the construction of this bridge will bifurcate the vehicular movement and lead to a decongestion of traffic movement.
During peak hours, the road through Saraighat can take over an hour due to traffic snarls, while the ferry service remains suspended for most of the year due to monsoon floods or dense winter fog. However, the Kumar Bhaskar Varma Setu will provide a direct, all-weather land link that remains operational regardless of the Brahmaputra's water level.
Additionally, the bridge will also help decongest the southern part of the city. With the Guwahati High Court and other important government offices set to shift to North Guwahati, the new bridge will provide direct connectivity to the northern side of Guwahati from the Southern part.
Who Is Kumar Bhaskar Varma?
The bridge is named after Kumar Bhaskar Varma, also known as Bhaskarvarman. He was the last and most illustrious king of the Varman dynasty (reigned c 600-650 CE) of the ancient Kamarupa Kingdom in present-day Assam. He is celebrated as one of ancient India's most powerful and visionary rulers, bringing Kamarupa to its ‘golden age’ through strategic diplomacy and cultural patronage.