Guwahati, Dec 14 (IANS) Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday launched a sharp political attack on the previous Congress governments, asserting that decades of neglect had turned the mighty Brahmaputra into a barrier rather than a bridge for Assam’s development, a situation his government has decisively reversed.
Highlighting the contrast in governance outcomes, Sarma said that in nearly 70 years after Independence, Assam managed to build only three bridges over the Brahmaputra -- the Saraighat Bridge, the Kalia Bhomora Bridge and the Naranarayan Setu.
"For decades, the Congress ruled Assam, but connectivity remained a distant dream. The Brahmaputra symbolised isolation, delay and political apathy," he said.
The Chief Minister underlined that the scenario changed fundamentally after 2014, when focused leadership and political will placed infrastructure at the centre of governance.
"In just one decade, Assam has built four major bridges over the Brahmaputra -- a second Saraighat Bridge, the Bogibeel Bridge, the Dhola-Sadiya Bridge and a second Kalia Bhomora Bridge. This is not coincidence, this is commitment," Sarma said.
Calling the Congress era one of "missed opportunities and weak resolve,” Sarma said that large river connectivity projects were repeatedly announced but rarely executed.
"Files moved, committees were formed, but the people of Assam kept waiting. Our government ended this culture of delay,” he added. The Chief Minister said that the transformation is far from over, with four more mega bridges currently under construction.
These include the Kumar Bhaskaravarman Setu in Guwahati, the ambitious Dhubri-Phulbari bridge set to become India’s longest river bridge, the Palasbari–Sualkuchi bridge, and the Jorhat–Majuli bridge, which will permanently connect the world’s largest river island to the mainland.
CM Sarma stressed that improved connectivity has directly translated into economic growth, faster emergency response, tourism expansion and stronger social integration across Upper, Middle and Lower Assam.
"Today, the Brahmaputra is no longer a barrier. It is a lifeline of growth," he said. Taking a final swipe at the Congress, Chief Minister Sarma said: "Where they saw challenges, we saw responsibility. For our government, no task is impossible when public service is the goal."
--IANS
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