Longest Rail Bridge In India, Bogibeel Bridge is a big bridge in the north-eastern state of Assam, India, over the Brahmaputra River
Longest Rail Bridge in India
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The Bogibeel Bridge is a big bridge in the north-eastern state of Assam, India, over the Brahmaputra River. It’s for both cars and trains, connecting Dhemaji and Dibrugarh districts. Construction began in 2002, and it took 200 months to finish. This bridge is special because it’s the longest of its kind in India, stretching 4.94 kilometers over the Brahmaputra River.
The Bogibeel Bridge India longest rail bridge is designed with 41 spans, each spanning 125 meters. Its structure consists of a composite welded steel truss and reinforced concrete. The bridge is capable of accommodating a double line 5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm) broad-gauge railway on the lower deck and a 3-lane road on the upper deck. Its strategic significance is evident in its ability to support the movement of tanks and aircraft.
Notably, it holds the title of being the longest combined rail and road bridge in India. In Assam, it ranks as the second longest bridge over the Brahmaputra, following the Bhupen Hazarika Setu, which is 9.15 km long.
Longest Railway Bridge In India -Bogibeel Bridge
Since the area is prone to earthquakes, the Bogibeel Bridge is the first in India with strong support beams that can handle earthquakes up to a magnitude of 7 on the Richter scale. It’s the second-longest bridge of its type in Asia and is expected to be in service for about 120 years.
This bridge is the 6th longest in India, ranking after others like the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link and Bhupen Hazarika Setu. The construction was managed by a group of companies led by Hindustan Construction Company. The lower deck has two railway lines, and the upper deck has three lanes for cars. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated it on December 25, 2018, on Good Governance Day.
The Bogibeel Bridge is located 17 km downstream of Dibrugarh and Dhemaji, spanning the Brahmaputra River. It links the town of Dibrugarh in the south to Dhemaji in the north. The bridge is about 20 km from the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border and serves as an alternative route to the Kolia Bhomora Setu in Tezpur, connecting nearly five million people in Upper Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.
Being the longest rail-cum-road bridge in India on the Brahmaputra River, the Bogibeel Bridge is strategically important. It facilitates the transportation of troops and supplies to the border with Tibet in Arunachal Pradesh, enhancing India’s connectivity.
Due to its location in a region with heavy rainfall, construction faced challenges, with significant progress occurring only during the four dry months from November to March.
India longest rail bridge
For road connectivity, the bridge links Dhemaji and Dibrugarh districts in Assam through National Highway 15.
In terms of rail connectivity, the Bogibeel Bridge connects the Rangiya–Murkongselek section of the Northeast Frontier Railway on the northern bank of the Brahmaputra River to the Lumding–Dibrugarh section on the southern bank. There are plans for a new Dibrugarh Railway Station, expected to be the largest in the region, linked to the Rangiya–Murkongselek line through Chaulkhowa and Moranhat. The Railways have also started the gauge conversion of the Dhamalgaon to Sisiborgaon rail line north of the bridge and commissioned the 44 km Chalkhowa–Moranhat line to the south.
Here is a list of the longest railway bridges in India:
- Dhola Sadiya Bridge (Bhupen Hazarika Setu): The longest bridge in India at 9.15 kilometers, connecting Assam and Arunachal Pradesh over the Lohit River.
- Dibang River Bridge: A 6.2-kilometer beam bridge connecting Bomjir and Malek villages in Arunachal Pradesh, enhancing all-weather connectivity in the eastern part of the state.
- Mahatma Gandhi Setu: This 5.75-kilometer bridge spans the Ganga River in Bihar, connecting Patna and Hajipur. Constructed during the Indira Gandhi Government, it was the longest bridge until 2017.
- Bandra-Worli Sea Link (Rajiv Gandhi Sea Link): Officially known as Rajiv Gandhi Sea Link, this cable-stayed bridge is the 4th longest in India at 5.6 kilometers, connecting Bandra and Worli in Mumbai.
- Bogibeel Bridge: Stretching 4.94 kilometers, it connects Dhemaji and Dibrugarh districts in Assam over the Brahmaputra River. It is India’s first earthquake-resistant bridge.
- Vikramshila Setu: The 6th longest bridge in India, covering a length of 4.7 kilometers. It spans the Ganges near Bhagalpur in Bihar, linking NH 33 and NH 31.
- Vembanad Rail Bridge: Connecting Edappally and Vallarpadam in Kochi, Kerala, this railway bridge is the 7th longest in India, measuring an estimated 4,620 meters.
- Digha–Sonpur Bridge (J.P Setu): Spanning across the Ganga, this rail-cum-road bridge connects Digha Ghat in Patna and Pahleja Ghat in Sonpur, Bihar. It is the second-longest of its kind in India at 4,556 meters.
- Arrah–Chhapra Bridge (Veer Kunwar Singh Setu): Known as the longest multi-span extradosed bridge globally, it crosses the Ganga River, connecting Arrah and Chhapra in Bihar, with a main bridge length of 1,920 meters.
- Godavari Bridge (Kovvur–Rajahmundry 4th Bridge): The Godavari Fourth Bridge, with a length of 4.13 kilometers, connects Kovvur to Diwancheruvu Junction in Rajamahendravaram, reducing the road distance between Kolkata and Chennai by at least 150 kilometers.
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