PM Narendra Modi inaugurates Kumar Bhaskar Varma Setu; 5 interesting facts about this new bridge in Guwahati, Assam

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi today inaugurated the much-awaited Kumar Bhaskar Varma Setu across the grand Brahmaputra River in Guwahati, Assam. It was a historic moment as the bridge is among the most significant milestones in the Northeast for connectivity. Built at an estimated cost of ₹3,030 crore, this six-lane, 1.24-kilometre-long bridge will connect Guwahati with North Guwahati. Not only this, but it will also reduce travel time between the two regions significantly. As per officials, over a lakh people gathered to witness the historic moment in Northeast today.

The Kumar Bhaskar Varma Setu is renowned not just for its worth but for its engineering significance. Here are 5 interesting facts about the bridge:




Seamless Connectivity: Once the bridge is fully operational, the bridge will cut travel time between Guwahati and North Guwahati to just 7 minutes. A truly remarkable feat!



Innovative Extradosed Design: The bridge uses an extradosed prestressed concrete (PSC) design. It means the bridge has greater strength and flexibility, making it perfect for long spans over wide rivers.



Seismic Safety: It’s a fact that Assam is in a high-seismic zone and is prone to earthquakes. To address this situation, the bridge has been designed with base isolation technology using friction pendulum bearings.

Bridge Health Monitoring System: There's also a real-time Bridge Health Monitoring System (BHMS). It helps in detecting any issue. It’s extremely crucial for safety purposes.



5 interesting facts about the bridge and the Brahmaputra River

Named after an icon from history: The bridge is named after Kumar Bhaskar Varman who was a famous ruler of the ancient Kamrupa Kingdom from the seventh century.

First of its kind in the Northeast: This is the first extradosed PSC bridge in the Northeast.



Advanced regional connectivity: The Brahmaputra flows through a region which has several issues related to environment and terrain. Constructing a traditional bridge here was always a challenging task.



The Brahmaputra is one of the longest rivers in the world: The Brahmaputra is counted among the longest rivers in the world, stretching over 2,900 km.

Calling this a transformative moment for Assam and the Northeast won’t be incorrect as the bridge will enhance local connectivity and significantly reduce travel time between two regions.

Before this event, PM Modi also inaugurated an Emergency Landing Facility (ELF) on the National Highway in Moran in Dibrugarh district. It is the first facility in the entire northeastern region.Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Valentine's day wishes, messages and quotes !