The Northeast Frontier Railway has land measuring five square kilometres at Pandu, but it is of little use to it. Reason? 6000 unauthorised structures occupy the parcel of this high-value land. If the proposed rail-cum-road bridge over the Brahmaputra is connected to Adabari, many unauthorised structures along the Adabari - Pandu road have to be removed for its widening
To expand the existing line capacity, smoothen train operations, reduce congestion and facilitate ease of travelling and transport, doubling of railway tracks in important sections were taken up by the Ministry of Railways. The work for doubling of Agthori – Kamakhaya stretch, including the Saraighat Bridge over river Brahmaputra, was approved by the Union cabinet in February, 2024. At present, there are two bridges over the Brahmaputra at Saraighat near Kamakhya. Of these, the rail-cum-road 'Saraighat Bridge' was commissioned in 1964. This has provision of single line railway track on the lower deck and a two-lane road on the upper deck. To double the Agthori – Kamakhaya section a new rail-cum-road bridge will be constructed 80 to 90 meters to the east of the existing bridge at Saraighat, and to ease movement on the road connected with the upcoming new bridge, the Pandu area may have to be evicted.
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In recent years, the Jalukbari junction, once a vital artery for smooth traffic flow, has morphed into a tangled web of disorder and confusion. The management of this crucial intersection has become a nightmare, marred by unregulated vending zones and unauthorised bus halts, resulting in discord of congestion and safety hazards for pedestrians and commuters alike.
A local resident voiced his concerns, stating, "The unchecked expansion of vendors and haphazard bus stops have transformed Jalukbari into a chaotic mess. It's increasingly difficult to navigate through the sea of vehicles and pedestrians."
Another resident at Jalukbari said that if another rail-cum-road bridge will come up around 80 to 90 meters away towards the east of the old Saraighat bridge, connecting the road traffic coming from the bridge to the Jalukbari rotary will further increase congestion. He suggested that since the bridge will be near Pandu Port, it can instead be connected to the Adabari road or the Maligaon road.
A city-based social activist, Padmashree awardee and former legislator Ajoy Kumar Dutta, talking to GPlus said, “The new rail-cum-road bridge should not be connected to Jalukbari rotary, instead it should be connected to Adabari or old Pandu station,” adding that it should not be a problem because most of the land from Jalukbari junction till Maligaon belongs to the university and railways, therefore unauthorised structures can be removed for land acquisition and utilised to broaden the road.
Ranel Das, city-based architect and member of Architect Association, Assam, talking to GPlus said, “Obstruction at the rotary and illegal parking should be completely removed from Jalukbari rotary if the road from the new rail-cum-road bridge has to be connected to Jalukbari rotary.”
A source in the Northeaster Frontier Railway talking to GPlus on condition of anonymity said, “The hydrological and design surveys for the rail-cum-road bridge is ongoing and we will float the work tender by August this year,” adding that North Eastern Hydraulic and Allied Research Institute is conducting the hydrological survey and RITES is conducting the technical study after which the detailed project report will be prepared and tenders will be accordingly floated. The estimated budget for the work of doubling the tracks from Agthori to Kamakhaya stretch, including construction of the rail-cum-road bridge, is Rs. 1650 crore. The bridge, which will be 1.29-km-long, is a part of the doubling of the 7.06 km long Agthori-Kamakhya section, said the source. He said 41 per cent of the cost will be shared by Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.
There will be double line track on lower deck and three- lane road with footpaths on the upper deck. The north-end approach of the bridge will connect Agthori station with a track length of 2.694 Km and the south-end will connect Kamakhya station with a 3.07 Km long approach. Regarding the approach roads, the NFR source said that the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways will either give the work to National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) or the National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (NHIDCL).
A source in NHAI said that they are aware of the project but the work is not yet assigned to them.
NHIDCL sources said that the work is likely to be assigned to NHAI.
A source in Ministry of Road Transport and Highways informed that after the DPR of the bridge is prepared the work of the approach road in both north and south bank will be given to either NHAI or NHIDCL. The source said that a proper vehicular movement study will be conducted and a viaduct will be constructed to either the Jalukbari Rotary or the Adabari road as required. The source said that connecting the bridge to Adabari will not be an issue as the Adabari road going to Pandu passes through railway land so if required land acquisition will be done removing the unauthorised structures with the help of the railways. The Adabari road will be broadened if required.
Sources informed that NFR has five square kilometre land in the Pandu area in which there are 6000 unauthorised structures. The structures include two – three storied RCC buildings. The structures are spread across the five square kilometre area making the land unusable for the railway.
A source in NFR said that many attempts for eviction had been made in the past but because of “extreme resistance” it is difficult to remove the unauthorised structures.
In 2015, around 15 people, including three policemen, were injured after an eviction drive was conducted by the Northeast Frontier Railway at Pandu.
Many similar attempts were made in the past but it is difficult to evict the encroachers, sources stressed.
Although the Adabari road connects to Pandu port it cannot be widened because of the unauthorised structures, and hence the government is planning to construct an additional approach road from NH-27 to Pandu Terminal of Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) worth ₹153.04 crore. The government claims that dedicated road connecting Pandu Port with NH-27 will ease congestions that may occur due to increased trade at the port.
Asked why NFR land in Pandu area is not being cleared, CPRO Sabyasachi De said, “Attempts are being made to remove the unauthorised structures from the Pandu area.”
Well, if it is eventually decided to connect the new rail-cum-road bridge to Adabari for vehicle movement, the unauthorised structures will have to be removed.