GUWAHATI: Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister, Pema Khandu on Wednesday inaugurated country’s longest single lane steel cable suspension bridge over River Siang at Yingkiong to the people of the State. The bridge is also known as Byorung Bridge.
Close to Indo-China border, Yingkiong the headquarters of state’s Upper Siang district, in around 389 kms from the state capital Itanagar, according to an official communique.
The 300-meter-long Byorung Bridge was built at a cost of Rs 48.43 crore and the same was funded by the Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) ministry under Non-Lapsable Central Pool of Resources.
The bridge would now reduce the distance from Yingkiong to Tuting by almost 40 kms and would also benefit about 20000 people residing on both banks of the river besides bolstering defence preparedness.
The chief minister informed that the Center had sanctioned 268 road projects worth Rs 3800 crore under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) for the State.
He said for Upper Siang district two PMGSY projects had been sanctioned and were awaiting tender by this January. The projects sanctioned are – 35 km road from Paling to Zido for Rs 82.10 crore and 30km road from Zido to Bishing worth Rs 42.46 crore.
Khandu assured to make available funds for construction of a new circuit house and provide Rs 1.5 crore as initial amount under Phase I with further assurance of more funding under Phase II. For anti-erosion work for Yingkiong and Tuting, the chief minister announced to sanction Rs 10 crore.