There were several setbacks along the way.” The mega infrastructure project of the Brahmaputra River Jorhat-Majuli bridge connecting Majuli to Jorhat in Assam has been replete with obstacles. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways recently made a very important decision; that is, to replace the current contractor engaged in the project, which stalled work on September 2023.
After several months of delayed and raised alarms regarding the slower than expected vital bridge, one of the regional connections that may be expected to enhance connectivity and spur the development of the economies of the people within the said region. This will hasten up the project on schedule and, according to administrative promise, completes by 2025.
HighLights of Significant Events of the Jorhat-Majuli Bridge Project
Halting of works and change in the contractor
Construction work on the bridge had already been affected since September 5, 2023, as the work had stalled. UP State Bridge Corporation Limited had reportedly vacated the site; therefore, work had stalled. After this problem had been taken up in an important meeting between all parties concerned, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways sprang into action and resumed work construction.
Confirmation by a New Delhi meeting along with the Chief Minister’s Office that the exchange of contractors was going to happen. Fresh contractor is now going to be the priority one getting this work moving to recover the project once again. According to the report, CMO said that considering time was not managed as agreed upon which the current contractor was going to forfeit his performance guarantee.
Delays and the Project Importance:
The Jorhat-Majuli bridge is going to be an extremely important infrastructural development project that will really improve connectivity between the two regions. Being the world’s largest river island, Majuli has faced extreme difficulties due to limited transports towards these areas. The much-needed link between Majuli and the southern bank of Brahmaputra at the time of completion of this bridge is going to help in accelerating both local and regional economic growth.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had written to Union Minister Nitin Gadkari earlier in September over a concern on delay. Sarma, in his letter, stated that further delay of the project will critically impact connectivity and regional economic development. He called for necessary action by the central government so that the target date of completion as scheduled for December 2025 is not affected.
Timeline and Budget of the Bridge
Since the bridge will be a two-lane structure, the total estimated contract value will be Rs 650 crore. The construction work was awarded to MORTH under its supervision in August 2021. By December 2025, it has set this target for completion of this project. This approach road and required infrastructure for building over Brahmaputra River during the construction of this bridge would ease the movement of people and goods.
The opening of the bridge does not have much nation importance rather its a regional happening because it provides connectivity between the two regions of high importance to do easy travel which will reduce to short times traveling, therefore acts as a good augury to businessmen in NE, India.
What the Project-Jorhat -Majuli Bridge needs for Future course Action
Choosing The New Contractor for the construction
The MORTH would now choose the process of selecting a new contractor as it had already resolved to change the existing contractor. The process would most probably be completed without any further delay. The new contractor would follow the deadline of completion strictly for completing the bridge by December 2025.
Progress Made by the Stakeholders
The meeting and other things further discussed other factors of slow movement in the project between MORTH and Chief Minister’s Office: such as reviewing the causes of delay and making sure that the new contractor could take the scope and requirement of the project. Key decisions have been taken so that this process does not get interrupted again in the future.
Financial Implications and Future Considerations
One of the biggest development initiatives for Assam is the Jorhat-Majuli bridge project. Equally in the hands of the central and state governments is the execution of the project. Once completed, the multiplier effect that this project will have on transportation and socio-economic conditions in the region will be enormous. But due to contractor issues, it might require more financial resources to keep the project within budget and to meet new deadlines.
Conclusion
This is a major step toward reversing the delay in this project when the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways finally decided to replace the contractor for the Jorhat-Majuli bridge project. A new contractor has now been appointed to complete the much-needed project to the economic development and connectivity of Assam, and the construction will start soon. This will enable the government to complete the bridge in time, which will eventually provide much-needed infrastructure to the region, boost local economies, and facilitate access for people of Majuli and other nearby areas.
This project would likely be completed by 2025 and will serve long-term interests of the state and its citizens, as the selection process of the new contractor is underway.
Refer:
Economic Times, Link to article