Guwahati (Assam): Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on a day-long visit to Assam on Saturday. He inaugurated the Kumar Bhaskar Varma Setu, connecting Guwahati and North Guwahati over the Brahmaputra River. Built at a cost of approximately ₹3,030 crore, the 6-lane extradosed prestressed concrete (PSC) bridge connects Guwahati with North Guwahati and is the first extradosed bridge in Northeast India. It will reduce travel time between Guwahati and North Guwahati by 7 minutes.
Considering the seismic nature of the region, the bridge utilizes base isolation technology using friction pendulum bearings. High-performance stay cables have been used to ensure durability and long-lasting structural performance. A Bridge Health Monitoring System (BHMS) has also been installed for real-time condition monitoring, early damage detection, and improved safety and service life of the extradosed bridge. Prime Minister Narendra Modi Inaugurates IIM Guwahati
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday inaugurated IIM Guwahati and a high-tech data center that will cater to the needs of the entire Northeast. The Prime Minister virtually inaugurated the temporary campus of the Indian Institute of Management Guwahati, which is expected to provide a major boost to higher education and management education in the Northeast region.
Last year, the central government approved the establishment of an IIM in Guwahati. This is the second IIM in the Northeast and the 22nd in the country. The first IIM in the region is in Shillong. PM Modi also virtually inaugurated the National Data Center (NDC) for the Northeast region, built in Amingaon, Kamrup district, Assam, from Lachit Ghat.
This state-of-the-art data center, with a total approved load of 8.5 MW and an average rack capacity of 10 kW per rack, will host mission-critical applications from various government departments and also serve as a disaster recovery center for other NDCs.
Modi also flagged off 225 electric buses under the PM-eBus service scheme. Of these, 100 buses are for Guwahati, 50 each for Nagpur and Bhavnagar, and 25 for Chandigarh.
PM Modi lands at the Emergency Landing Facility on the Moran Bypass
Earlier, PM Modi landed at the Emergency Landing Facility (ELF) on the Moran Bypass in Dibrugarh, Assam. Here, he will witness an aerial display of fighter, transport, and helicopters. The Emergency Landing Facility is the first of its kind in Northeast India. The Indian Air Force’s Sukhoi Su-30MKI took off from the Emergency Landing Facility (ELF) on Dibrugarh’s Moran Bypass. PM Modi, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, and Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal were among those present.
During this visit, Modi inaugurated the Kumar Bhaskar Verma Bridge, connecting Guwahati and North Guwahati over the Brahmaputra River. Built at a cost of approximately ₹3,030 crore, it is Northeast India’s first extradosed bridge, a six-lane, extradosed prestressed concrete (PSC) bridge.
The opening of this bridge will reduce travel time between Guwahati and North Guwahati by 7 minutes. Given the high earthquake risk in this area, the bridge utilizes base isolation technology using friction pendulum bearings. High-performance stay cables have been used to ensure durability and long-lasting structural performance. A Bridge Health Monitoring System (BHMS) has also been installed for real-time condition monitoring, early detection of damage, and improving the safety and service life of extradosed bridges. PM Modi will also inaugurate the National Data Center for the North Eastern Region at Amingaon in Kamrup district, Assam. This state-of-the-art data center, with a total sanctioned load of 8.5 MW and an average rack capacity of 10 kW per rack, will host mission-critical applications from various government departments and also serve as a disaster recovery center for other national data centers. This will enable governments in the Northeast to facilitate the digital delivery of essential citizen-centric services. In line with the vision of Digital India, the National Data Center for the North Eastern Region is envisioned as a strategic intervention to strengthen the region’s ICT backbone and ensure a robust, secure, and always-available digital infrastructure.
The Prime Minister will also inaugurate the temporary campus of IIM Guwahati, which will significantly boost higher education and management education in the North Eastern region. The Prime Minister will also flag off 225 electric buses under the PM e-Bus service scheme in Guwahati (100), Nagpur (50), Bhavnagar (50), and Chandigarh (25). With the commencement of e-bus operations under this service scheme in these four cities, over 5 million people are expected to benefit from clean, affordable, and reliable public transport services, improving urban mobility and enhancing quality of life.
