A look at Bogibeel bridge, India’s longest rail-road link

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Tuesday inaugurated the 4.94 km-long Bogibeel Bridge, India’s longest rail-road bridge, over the Brahmaputra. (PTI)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi waves at people from the Bogibeel Bridge, the longest rail-cum-road bridge on Brahmaputra river, after it was inaugurated by him in Dibrugarh. (PTI)

PM Modi flagged off two new Intercity Express trains connecting Tinsukia and Naharlagun via the Bogibeel Bridge. (PTI)

Till now, the Vembanad rail bridge in Kerala had the distinction of being the longest rail bridge in the country at 4.62 km. (Express photo)

The inauguration of the bridge coincides with the birth anniversary of former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee, under whose government the work for the bridge had started in 2002. The foundation stone of the project was laid by then prime minister HD Deve Gouda on January 22, 1997. (Express photo)

The 4.94 km bridge, built at a cost of Rs 5,900 crore by the Indian Railways, will reduce travel time from Assam to Arunachal Pradesh to four hours and will also cut down train travel between Delhi to Dibrugarh by three hours. (Express photo)

The project has missed several deadlines and has been a victim of political unwillingness and red tapes despite being granted a national project status in 2007. (Express photo)

The double-decker bridge, the fourth across the Brahmaputra, has two railway lines on the lower deck and a three-lane road on the upper, strong enough to withstand movement of heavy military tanks. (Express photo)

The bridge will act as a lifeline to the Northeast region, reducing the distance by 165 km from the north and saving fuel worth Rs 10 lakh per day in the region. (Express photo)

The most significant beneficiary will be the Army, whose convoys will now save an estimated three to four hours in their journey from Assam to their posts ner the 4000-km long border Arunachal-China border. (Express photo)