Aizawl: Mizoram chief minister Lal Thanhawla on Thursday inaugurated the state's second-longest permanent bridge (pre-stressed concrete bridge) over the Tlawng river in Bairabi on the Mizoram-Assam border.
The bridge, which is 160 metres long and 7.50 metres wide, was constructed by the PWD with funding by the North Eastern Council.
According to the Indian Road Congress (IRC), the apex body of highway engineers in India, the bridge has the highest standard load capacity.
Work was executed by ABCI Infrastructure, a private company. Construction began in June 2008 and was completed in January this year.
Inaugurating the Rs 1,413.03-lakh concrete bridge, Lal Thanhawla said apart from improving connectivity between Mamit district in west Mizoram and Kolasib district in the northern part of the state, the bridge will open up opportunities and felicitate import of goods and export of local products.
According to the chief minister, the new bridge will enhance importance of Kolasib district in general and Bairabi town in particular.
He said Bairabi town on the Mizoram-Assam border will develop once construction of a rail line between Sairang and Bairabi is completed.
The chief minister added that the government is committed to construct more agricultural link roads to assist farmers.
Saying that all the existing agricultural link roads will be converted to all-weather roads, he said work for the Kaladan multi-modal project is under way to make Mizoram the gateway of trade between India and Southeast Asian countries.
Lal Thanhawla was accompanied by transport minister John Rotluangliana, PWD minister Lal Thanzara, minister of state Vanlalawmpuii Chawngthu, Kolasib MLA Zoram Sangliana and political adviser to chief minister Lalrinmawia Ralte.
Lal Thanzara highlighted future plan of PWD in and around Bairabi town. He said a Rs 43-crore detailed project report has been submitted to Nabard for the Bairabi-Zamuang road during the current fiscal.
He added that Rs 350 lakh has been allocated under the New Economic Development Policy (NEDP) for improvement of the Mamit-Bairabi road.
