Assam Gets Kumar Bhaskar Varma Setu, Northeast’s First Emergency Landing Facility

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated major infrastructure projects in Assam, including the Kumar Bhaskar Varma Setu over the Brahmaputra River in Guwahati and the Northeast’s first Emergency Landing Facility (ELF) on a national highway in Dibrugarh district. The projects are part of a broader development push worth over ₹5,450 crore, aimed at improving connectivity, strategic preparedness, urban mobility, and regional growth in the Northeast.

Kumar Bhaskar Varma Setu: Transforming Guwahati Connectivity

• The Kumar Bhaskar Varma Setu is a 2.86-km-long, six-lane extradosed Prestressed Concrete (PSC) bridge built at a cost of around ₹3,030 crore.
• It connects Guwahati with North Guwahati and is the first extradosed bridge in Northeast India.
• With its opening, travel time between the two sides of the city will reduce to just seven minutes.
• The bridge enhances connectivity to key landmarks, including the famous Kamakhya Temple.
• It incorporates advanced engineering features such as base isolation technology using friction pendulum bearings and high-performance stay cables for durability.
• A Bridge Health Monitoring System (BHMS) enables real-time structural monitoring.

Northeast’s First Highway Emergency Landing Facility (ELF)

• PM Modi inaugurated the Northeast’s first Emergency Landing Facility (ELF) on the Moran Bypass in Dibrugarh district.
• Developed in coordination with the Indian Air Force, the ELF is a dual-use infrastructure supporting both military and civilian aircraft during emergencies.
• Soon after inauguration, IAF fighter jets including the Sukhoi Su-30MKI and Dassault Rafale conducted successful take-offs and landings on the highway stretch, witnessed by nearly one lakh spectators.

Strategic and Disaster-Ready Infrastructure

The 4.2-km-long reinforced concrete highway stretch is engineered to function as an emergency runway. It can handle,

• Fighter aircraft up to 40 tonnes
• Transport aircraft up to 74 tonnes maximum take-off weight
• The facility has no central divider to allow aircraft movement.
• Fencing and removal of temporary roadside structures ensure operational readiness.

Located in Upper Assam, close to the India-China border, the ELF strengthens India’s military preparedness. It provides an alternative landing option if Dibrugarh Airport or Chabua Air Force Station becomes unavailable.

Why Highway Landing Facilities Matter

• Highway-based emergency landing strips offer flexibility and strategic advantage.
• Unlike fixed airbases, they provide redundancy and operational surprise during contingencies.
• For a region like the Northeast, prone to natural disasters and strategic sensitivities, such facilities enhance rapid deployment capability and disaster response efficiency.
• The ELF thus serves both national security and humanitarian purposes.

Key Summary at a Glance

Aspect	Details
Project 1	Kumar Bhaskar Varma Setu
Length	2.86 km
Cost	₹3,030 crore
Special Feature	First extradosed bridge in Northeast
Project 2	Emergency Landing Facility (ELF)
Location	Moran Bypass, Dibrugarh
Length	4.2 km
Strategic Use	Fighter & transport aircraft operations
Total Projects Value	₹5,450 crore

Question

Q. The Kumar Bhaskar Varma Setu is built over which river?

A) Ganga
B) Brahmaputra
C) Teesta
D) Barak