GUWAHATI: Heavy vehicles like trucks and night super buses will have to pay toll tax to use the Guwahati-North Guwahati bridge over the Brahmaputra, which will be completed by July next year and is expected to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi by October.
Disclosing this to the media during an inspection of the progress of work on Thursday, November 28, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that private cars, city buses, and smaller vehicles will not be required to pay toll tax. The measure aims to minimise the influx of heavy vehicles into Guwahati, alleviating congestion and reducing the risk of accidents, particularly at night.
The ambitious project, spanning 1,600 metres from the south to the north bank, is set to feature India’s longest multi-span extra-dosed bridge. Of the total length, 1,240 metres will consist of five main spans, each stretching 200 metres between pylons.
The chief minister further disclosed that the foundation stone for the Narengi-Kuruwa overbridge will be laid in February 2025. Alongside this, the Guwahati Ring Road Project is also advancing steadily. The project encompasses 121.43 kilometres of roadwork with an estimated budget of ₹5,729.47 crore, divided into three sections.
The first section will introduce a 55.54-kilometre Greenfield stretch, featuring a major six-lane bridge over the Brahmaputra, spanning 2.9 kilometres, and three additional large bridges. The second section will upgrade the 7.9-kilometre Khanapara-Jorabat stretch from four to six lanes, while the third section, covering 57.99 kilometres, will enhance the current four or six-lane alignment.
