There are few infrastructures which can boast of making an impact on tens of thousands of lives including the local socio economic dynamics. In the last two years, the opening of the Dhola Sadiya bridge and the Bogibeel bridge have been keenly watched by both residents of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. In a short span, these infrastructures have become iconic symbols of the region including the face of development in this far eastern corner of India.

On 25^th December 2018 when the 4.94km long behemoth Bogibeel bridge was inaugurated, residents across Assam and Arunachal heaved a collective sigh of relief. For nearly two decades, the bridge loomed in the horizon in various stages of under construction, raising many a doubt if ever it will be completed. But light of day it did see, almost two decades later.  

The bridge conceived as part of the 1985 Assam Accord is likely to enhance India’s capability to ensure faster movement of troops and supplies to the Indo-China border in Arunachal Pradesh. It will provide connectivity to nearly five million people residing in Upper Assam and Arunachal Pradesh with easy and direct access to Upper Assam from the rest of the country through the north bank, in contrast to the current route through Guwahati in the south bank – which is long and tortuous.

The people of Arunachal have much to celebrate as reduced travel time to Dibrugarh, the third-largest city in the Northeast, which has major hospitals, medical college and an airport means accessibility to these facilities. Several districts of Arunachal down the decades have depended on the premier Assam Medical College and hospitals here to meet their medical needs. Earlier, the long ferry ride over the Brahmaputra was a challenge especially during the monsoons when the river is in spate. Also crossing the river after dark was impossible meaning communication came to a halt till next sunrise. For many patients in need of emergency care, this meant they won’t be able to see the next dawn.

Arunachal has remained underdeveloped insofar as rail connectivity is concerned, however the coming up of the bridge is expected to boost the proposed railway lines in East Siang and Lower Siang districts.

Change brings new beginnings, for some it can be a bit of a challenge. For the boatmen who worked the ghats for decades, ferrying people across the mighty Brahmaputra, right now the odds are against them. Under new circumstances, they have to swim hard to find new employment avenues and at the same time learn to live away from the river which became home to them. For them we hope the transition is smooth and quick.

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Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

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