GUWAHATI: The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MORTH) has approved a revised cost estimate of ₹1019.16 crore for completing the long-delayed Jorhat-Majuli bridge over the Brahmaputra river in Assam. This development was announced by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday, March 18.
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The decision has come following several delays in the project, leading to the replacement of the previous contractor, UP State Bridge Corporation Limited. The contractor abandoned the project site in September 2023, bringing construction to a standstill.
In response, the Assam chief minister engaged in discussions with Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, urging his immediate intervention.
On October 3, 2024, Sarma also announced that construction would resume soon. He stated that the state and central governments were in discussions, with Gadkari personally monitoring the progress.
He had earlier written to Gadkari on September 27, 2023, stressing the need to capitalise on the dry season to accelerate work and prevent further cost overruns. The original project cost was ₹650 crore, but due to prolonged delays, the revised estimate now stands at over ₹1019 crore.
The updated allocation has been provided to expedite the construction of the crucial two-lane bridge connecting Majuli, the world’s largest river island, with Jorhat, and to facilitate faster travel and economic development in the region.
