Chutiyas issue suicide threat over name of Bogibeel Bridge

DIBRUGARH: All Assam Chutia Students' Union (AACSU) general secretary Mohen Bora has threatened that 100 youths from the community will jump into the Brahmaputra from the Bogibeel Bridge on the day of its inauguration if the government doesn't name the structure after Chutia dynasty queen Sati Sadhani.
Addressing a huge rally at the Old Government High School field in Dibrugarh on Thursday, Bora said, "The Chutia community, which is one of the oldest ethnic groups of the state, has a glorious history. Unfortunately, successive governments have neglected us. The demand for naming the bridge after Chutia queen Sati Sadhani is an old one. The existing three bridges on the Brhmaputra were dedicated to the kings and generals of other dynasties of Assam. Therefore, we think it is logical to name the Bogibeel Bridge after Sati Sadhani. If the bridge is not christened as Birangana Sati Sadhani Setu, 100 youths from our community will end their lives by jumping into the Brahmaputra on the day of its inauguration. We are quite serious about it."

Chutiya queen Sati Sadhani ruled the Chutia dynasty from 1522 to 1524.

The Bogibeel Bridge is the fourth viaduct over the Brahmaputra. Among the three existing bridges, the Saraighat bridge (1962) has been named after the famous Battle of Saraighat betwen the Ahoms and Mughals in 1671 and the Kolia Bhomora Bridge (1987) after legendary Ahom general Kolia Bhomora Phukan. The Naranarayan Setu (1998) is dedicated to 16th century Koch king Nara Narayan.

A section of BJP leaders, including Dibrugarh MLA Prasanta Phukan, are in favour of naming the bridge as Atal Setu after late PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee. A few Ahom organisations, on the other hand, want it to be named after legendary Ahom ruler Chaolung Siu-Ka-Pha. But locals feel the name should be Bogibeel Bridge since it has a sentimental connection to the area where it is being constructed.

Measuring 4.94-km, the Bogibeel Bridge connecting Dibrugarh and Dhemaji is India's longest rail-cum-road bridge and is partly modelled on the famous Oresund Bridge that links Sweden and Denmark. Already in its 17th year, the construction work of the bridge was inaugurated by former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee on April 21, 2002. The foundation of the structure was laid even earlier by former PM Deve Gowda on January 22, 1997. Due to revised deadlines, the project cost has escalated from the initial Rs 1,767 crore to Rs 5,800 crore.

Described as an engineering marvel, a record 70,000 MT of steel has been used in the Bogibeel Bridge which is said to be equivalent to 10 Eiffel Towers. The total length of welding carried out is approximately 12,800 km which is equivalent to circling 1.5 times around the moon. The bridge is set up 32 metres above the bed level of the Brahmaputra. The double-deck bridge features two railway lines on the lower deck and a 3-lane road on the upper deck flanked by footpaths on each side.

The bridge, apart from playing a strategic role in securing the country's eastern borders, is expected to fast-track the region's economy. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to inaugurate the bridge this December.