The lighting on India's second-longest bridge, the Dhola-Sadiya Bridge, officially known as the Dr Bhupen Hazarika Setu, is now entirely solar-powered, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma shared on Thursday.
Sarma, while officially launching the solarification project today, said that the government spent Rs 55.84 crore on it. The project will also ensure the generation of 700 kilowatts of energy, he further said.
The energy generation will power the lighting on the entire bridge, the Chief Minister further said. Taking to X, he posted, "Lighting on Bharat's second longest bridge is now powered by Solar. Looks terrific right?"
The Dhola-Sadiya Bridge is a significant beam bridge that links Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. Spanning the Lohit River, a major Brahmaputra tributary, the bridge connects Dhola in southern Assam with Sadiya in northern Assam, facilitating access to Arunachal Pradesh.
This bridge is the first permanent road link between northern Assam and eastern Arunachal Pradesh and, at 9.15 kilometers (5.69 miles) long, it is the second-longest bridge in India over water.
The move comes in line with the Centre's ambitious Pradhan Mantri Suryodaya Yojana 2024 aimed at revolutionizing the energy landscape in India.
The scheme, with an allocation of Rs 10,000 crore, focuses on promoting rooftop solar installations for one crore households, fostering sustainable energy practices, and generating economic opportunities.
