Guwahati, Oct 3 (IANS): Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Thursday that the roadblock on a key bridge over the Brahmaputra River, which will connect Majuli River island with the mainland in Assam’s Jorhat district, will be resolved soon following the assurance of the Union Minister Nitin Gadkari.

“Had a brief interaction with Hon'ble Union Surface Transport Minister Shri @nitin_gadkari Ji at Delhi Airport. He assured me that he is personally looking into the Majuli Bridge issue. With the previous contractor unwilling to proceed, a fresh tender might be issued. A decision on this will be taken soon,” the Chief Minister announced on X.

Earlier, the Chief Minister had said that the state administration noticed that work on the Jorhat-Majuli bridge over the Brahmaputra came to a standstill on September 5.

“I have written to Hon’ble Union Minister Shri @nitin_gadkari Ji requesting his immediate intervention to ensure that we don’t miss the Dec 2025 completion date,” the Chief Minister wrote on X.

The Chief Minister added that the construction of the new two-lane major bridge, including approaches over the River Brahmaputra, between Majuli on the North Bank and Jorhat on the South Bank was awarded by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways in August 2021 on EPC mode to the UP State Bridge Corporation Limited, holds immense significance for the region.

He added that the total contract value is approximately Rs 650 crore and an expected completion date of December 2025.

“However, it has come to our notice that the construction work has been at a standstill since 05th September 2024, which is a serious cause for concern. Given that the dry season has commenced, this period is crucial for ensuring steady progress, and any delay at this stage could result in substantial loss of working days and critical time, which may lead to significant cost and time overruns,” the Chief Minister said.

He said that the moreover the reports suggest that the EPC contractor, UP State Bridge Corporation Limited, has left the site, thereby halting the work.

“This is extremely unfortunate, as further delays would jeopardise the timely completion of this vital infrastructure project, which is essential for the connectivity and economic development of Majuli and the entire region,” the Chief Minister said.

He had sought Union Minister Gadkari’s intervention to ensure that immediate corrective measures were taken.