Guwahati: Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday said the Guwahati–North Guwahati bridge, the Kumar Bhaskar Verma setu, will be inaugurated on Feb 14 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but vehicular traffic will begin only in March, with the bridge initially opened for pedestrians.Addressing the media, Sarma said the bridge will be accessible to the public immediately after inauguration for walking and viewing. “People can access the bridge, but it will be open only for walking, as everyone would want to see the new bridge. Therefore, we have given people time until February to enjoy it. From March 1 or 2, vehicles will be allowed to ply on the bridge,” he said.
Sarma added that while the bridge starts from the Gauripur area in North Guwahati, vehicles will initially be routed via IIT Guwahati to prevent congestion because the trumpet interchange is still under construction and is expected to be completed by June.He said the bridge is intended for small vehicles, which will not pay toll, while buses and trucks will be charged. “We do not want buses and trucks to use this route; otherwise, there will be heavy congestion in the Fancy Bazar area,” he said.The bridge has been built at a cost of over Rs 3,000 crore. According to the Assam govt website, the bridge spans 1,600 metres across the river from the south bank to the north bank, including a 1,240-metre multi-span extra-dosed section. The website also states the state govt submitted the project to the department of economic affairs under the ministry of finance for funding from the BRICS New Development Bank (NDB).
