Old Saraighat Bridge


The Saraighat Bridge is a rail-cum-road bridge over Brahmaputra River in Assam and is the first of its kind bridge over the river. The length of the bridge is 1492 meters and the road on the bridge is 7.3 meters wide.

History

The idea of constructing a bridge over the Brahmaputra was first mooted in 1910 and the thought gathered momentum during the Second World War. Initially there were doubts over the stability of the railway line between Bongaigaon and Amingaon following devastating floods in 1942-43. However, when the line had been satisfactorily stabilized, the Railway Minister announced the decision to construct the bridge in the Budget session of the Parliament in 1958.

Re-construction after independence

The bridge was built between 1959 and 1962 by Hindustan Construction Company at a cost of Rs 10.6 crore at that time.. The bridge was completed in September 1962 and the first engine rolled across it on 23 September 1962. The bridge is known to connect the Northeast India with rest of the country.
The bridge is 40 feet above the normal flood level of the river which also ensure free navigation. The bridge was closed for a major repair work from March 23, 2019 and was opened for traffic on June 20, 2019.
The New Saraighat bridge is constructed beside the old bridge which is slightly longer than the old bridge. It was inaugurated on January, 2017.