May 30: The gruelling wait for the Bhangagarh flyover finally ended today with chief minister Tarun Gogoi throwing it open to the public this morning.

The gift came packaged with another — the government announced the widening of the railway overbridge at Panbazar into a four-lane bridge.

Motorists heaved a sigh of relief as the traffic congestion on GS Road at Bhangagarh eased out considerably after the flyover’s inauguration.

Commuters were forced to spend a lot of time crawling through traffic jams during the construction of the flyover.

Admitting that people had to face problems at Bhangagarh junction while the flyover was being constructed, Guwahati development department (GDD) minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said, “For every new creation, we have to bear some trouble”.

“The flyover, which was constructed using the latest technology, will ensure hassle-free travel on GS Road,” he added.

Sarma said the government had sanctioned Rs 18 crore to widen the two-lane overbridge at Panbazar, which had become a traffic bottleneck.

“The widening of the Panbazar overbridge will be done with minimum disruption to normal life,” he added.

The chief minister said his government had laid maximum emphasis on improving road connectivity in the state.

He stressed the need for planned development of the suburban areas to decongest the city.

“We will have to carry out development without destroying the natural beauty of the city,” he said, adding that his government had given importance to the preservation of greenery, waterbodies and hills in and around the city.

Gogoi hoped the inauguration of the flyover would help to ease the traffic congestion on GS Road.

“At last, this is happening, this opening of the flyover,” said Niren Sharma, an employee of an automobile company, relieved after the flyover was formally opened to traffic.

Sharma’s remark reflects the relief of people who have waited for more than two years for the completion of the flyover.

The commissioner and secretary of public works department (PWD), M.C. Boro, said though the flyover’s foundation stone was laid on September 16, 2005, the actual work started on May 25, 2006.

The intervening period was used to shift public utilities like electricity poles and water pipelines.

“If we look at it this way then there wasn’t much delay,” he said.

Boro said anti-carbonation coating was done on exposed concrete surfaces to prevent premature discolouration and corrugation.

“A thicker wearing coat of 12mm mastic asphalt overlaid by a 50mm bituminous concrete layer has been provided to reduce the maintenance cost.”

Hydraulic rig piling has been done to make the structure earthquake-proof. Pre-cast cash barriers have been provided on both sides to increase safety and improve the aesthetics of the flyover, he added.

The flyover has been constructed at a cost of Rs 57.24 crore by Simplex Infrastructures Limited. It was designed by Tandon Consultants.