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Key Points

The Assam government has reinitiated the Jorhat-Majuli bridge project with a fresh tender after delays. The 6.81 km bridge, costing Rs 600 crore, will connect Majuli, the world's largest river island, to mainland Assam. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma thanked Union Minister Nitin Gadkari for expediting the project. Once completed, it will provide year-round access to Majuli, boosting tourism and local connectivity.

Key Points: Assam Floats New Tender for Jorhat-Majuli Brahmaputra Bridge

  • Rs 600 crore bridge to connect Majuli with Assam
  • Project stalled after contractor withdrawal in 2024
  • PM Modi laid foundation in 2021
  • Majuli is the world's largest river island
2 min read

Fresh tender floated to build bridge over Brahmaputra to connect Majuli with rest of Assam

Assam revives the 6.81 km Jorhat-Majuli bridge project with a fresh tender after contractor withdrawal, boosting connectivity to the world's largest river island.

"Great news for Assam. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has today floated the tender for the much-awaited Jorhat-Majuli Bridge. - Himanta Biswa Sarma"

New Delhi, May 22

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has floated the tender for the much-awaited Jorhat-Majuli Bridge over the river Brahmaputra on Thursday.

The 6.81 km long two-lane bridge is being built at an estimated cost of Rs 600.51 crore.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has all along been persuading the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways to expedite the tender process in right earnest. The Chief Minister thanked Union Minister Gadkari for turning the dream project into a reality.

Later, taking to X, the Chief Minister wrote, "Great news for Assam. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has today floated the tender for the much-awaited Jorhat-Majuli Bridge--a 6.81 km, 2-lane bridge with an estimated cost of Rs. 600.51 crore. My heartfelt gratitude to Hon'ble Union Minister @nitin_gadkari Ji for making this effort into a reality."

The foundation stone for this bridge was laid down by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 18, 2021. This bridge will provide easy and all time access to the people living in Majuli, a district-sized island and the world's largest river island.

In 2016, Majuli became the first island to be made a district in India.

The construction work for the bridge had to be stalled in late 2024 after the contractor withdrew from the project. A new tender has been floated today.

Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Sarma met Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman here in the national capital.

"We had a good discussion on Assam's growth trajectory, how it has emerged among the country's fastest growing States and on our plans to build a Rs 10 lakh crore GSDP by 2027-2028," the CM wrote after meeting the finance minister.

The Assam chief minister also met Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. They discussed timelines to operationalise the new IIM campus in Guwahati.

"Guwahati will soon be one of the few cities in India that is home to IIT, AIIMS and now IIM," the chief minister wrote on X.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

R
Rajesh K.
Finally! This bridge will be a game-changer for Majuli residents who've suffered for decades with ferry dependence. Hope the new contractor completes it without delays. ₹600 crore is a big investment but worth it for connectivity in Northeast. Jai Assam! 🇮🇳
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Priya M.
Good initiative but why did the previous contractor back out? There should be penalties for such withdrawals that delay public projects. Hope this time proper due diligence is done before awarding the tender.
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Arjun S.
As someone who visited Majuli last year, the ferry rides were quite an adventure but terribly inconvenient for daily commuters. This bridge will boost tourism too - Majuli's Vaishnavite culture and biodiversity deserve better accessibility. Kudos to both state and central govt! 🙏
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Sunita P.
While infrastructure is welcome, I hope environmental impact is properly assessed. Brahmaputra is a mighty river and Majuli is ecologically sensitive. The bridge design must account for annual floods and erosion. Development shouldn't come at nature's cost.
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Kiran D.
Northeast development has been neglected for too long. With IIT, AIIMS and now IIM coming up in Guwahati plus this bridge, Assam is finally getting its due. Hope other northeastern states get similar attention. #ActEastPolicy
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Manish T.
₹600 crore for 6.8km seems expensive no? I hope there's transparency in spending. Also, only 2 lanes? Should plan for future traffic growth. Otherwise in 10 years we'll need another bridge!
A
Ananya R.

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