Strategic bridge in Arunachal opened

New Delhi, April 10 (IANS) Arunachal Pradesh has got its longest bridge - 720 meters long. It is strategically important for the Indian Army to move troops and equipment to the difficult terrain along the China border.

The bridges is also the longest ever built by the Borders Roads Organisation (BRO).

Fulfilling a dragging demand of the locals, Minister of State for Defence M.M. Pallam Raju inaugurated it at Digaru Monday.

It was built by BRO's Project Udayak. Its guide bunds are 1.6 km long, a defence ministry statement said Tuesday.

The bridge links Lohit and Dibang valley in Digaru.

Raju, who is also chairman of the Border Roads Development Board, was at Lohit for the inauguration Monday.

'The bridge, erected in extremely tough terrain, fulfils the long pending demand of the local population as well as army authorities,' the release said.

Raju travelled by road and reached the venue after a five-hour gruelling journey and after taking a traditional ferry.

'The minister experienced the hardship faced by the locals as well as army personnel in terms of logistics in the absence of bridges in the foothills of Arunachal Pradesh.'

After the inauguration, he inspected the portion of trans-Arunachal Highway being constructed by BRO and visited Paya Production Centre, from where all the pavement material for the highway is produced.

Among those present with Raju during the Digaru bridge inauguration were Border Roads Director General Lt. Gen. S. Ravi Shankar and 3 Corps General Officer Commanding Lt. Gen. Dalbir Singh.