Diffo Bridge is a pre-stressed concrete box girder bridge over the Diffo river (Chipu river)[3] in Arunachal Pradesh, India. This 426.60 metres (1,399.6 ft) long bridge was inaugurated in 2019 by the Union Defense Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.[2][4]
Diffo Bridge | |
|---|---|
| Carries | 2 road lanes [1] |
| Crosses | Diffo river (Chimpu river) |
| Locale | Tezu and Roing |
| Maintained by | Border Road Organization |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Pre-stressed concrete box girder bridge |
| Material | Concrete |
| Total length | 426.60 m (1,399.6 ft) |
| History | |
| Constructed by | Border Road Organization |
| Construction start | 2011[2] |
| Construction end | 2019[2] |
| Opened | 18 Jan 2019[2] |
| Statistics | |
| Toll | Free both ways |
Construction
editThe construction started in 2011[4] by Border Roads Organisation under Project Udayak.[4] It was built for an estimated cost of ₹4,847.83 lakh (US$5.8 million), which was funded by the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.[2] Tough working conditions in an inhospitable terrain facing turbulent flash floods, made construction difficult. It was completed in 8 years.[2] The bridge was inaugurated by the Union Defense Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on 18 January 2019.[2]
Significance
editEarlier, Indian Defense Forces had laid the Bailey bridge over the Diffo River. It was a temporary structure that had to be closed during most rains.[5] The new bridge provides uninterrupted access between Dibang Valley and Lohit valley of Eastern Arunachal Pradesh on Roing-Koron-Paya Road.[4] Lohit valley is the corridor that leads to Kibithu, the battleground of the 1962 Indo-Sino war and Lower Dibang Valley leads to the Anini front of border with China.[5] The bridge reduced traveling time between Tezu and Roing (district headquarters of Lohit Valley and Lower Dibang Valley respectively) from 3 hours to 45 minutes. During a monsoon, the old route took travelers through Assam.[5] Strategically, it provides an all-weather route for troops deployed on the China border (the McMahon line).[6]
References
edit- ^ desk, Northeast Live web (18 January 2019). "Arunachal: Defence Minister Sitharaman inaugurates strategic bridge over Diffo river". North East Live. Retrieved 11 September 2019.
{{cite web}}:|last=has generic name (help) - ^ a b c d e f g "Raksha Mantri Dedicates Diffo Bridge in Arunachal to The Nation". pib.gov.in. Retrieved 11 September 2019.
- ^ "Sitharaman dedicates strategic bridge | 'Diffo Bridge a boon for troop movement to Indo-China border'". Arunachal Observer. 19 January 2019. Retrieved 11 September 2019.
- ^ a b c d "Diffo Bridge of Arunachal Pradesh Inaugurated". Current Affairs Today. 19 January 2019. Retrieved 11 September 2019.
- ^ a b c "Smooth ride to China border". www.telegraphindia.com. Retrieved 11 September 2019.
- ^ "Why The Diffo Bridge In Arunanchal Pradesh Is Important For India". www.defencedirecteducation.com. Retrieved 11 September 2019.