Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Wednesday dedicated India’s longest 300-metre single lane steel cable suspension bridge across river Siang at Yingkiong in Upper Siang district. It has been named Byorung Bridge.
He also laid the foundation stone for the construction of the district secretariat building.
“Byorung Bridge, built at a cost of ₹48.43-crore provided by the DONER (Department for Development of North Eastern Region) Ministry, will reduce the distance from Yinkiong to Tuting by almost 40 km,” Mr. Khandu said.
The road to Tuting, near the China border in Upper Siang district, was 192 km before the bridge was built. The bridge is expected to benefit 20,000 people on either bank of the river besides bolstering defence preparedness.
Stating that good connectivity is the way forward for the State’s prosperity, the Chief Minister said that Centre has sanctioned 268 road projects worth ₹3,800-crore under Prime Minister’s Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY).
Upper Siang district has two PMGSY projects sanctioned and are awaiting tender by January-end. The two projects are estimated to cost ₹124.65-crore.
Mr. Khandu also announced ₹10-crore for a project to check river erosion at Yingkiong and Tuting.