CIDC Vishwakarma Award - 2021

HCC’s Bogibeel rail-cum-road Bridge in Dibrugarh, Assam has been bestowed with the prestigious Vishwakarma Award – 2021 for “Best Construction Project" under the 'Bridge' category. The award was received by Mr Rakesh Kumar, Project Manager – Bogibeel project, and Mr P.V. Rao, HCC Project Director – Metro, Bridges & Railways, during the 12th CIDC Vishwakarma Award function held on March 07, 2021, in Delhi.

The HCC team completed this project with sheer determination and grit, as bridging the mighty Brahmaputra has always been a daunting task. The river is extremely difficult to bridge due to various reasons including its ferocious and unpredictable behaviour, high currents and turbulent waters, widespread erosion of the banks, short working period, high seismicity, and the sheer remoteness of the area. With the width ranging from 1.2 km to 18 km, the Brahmaputra has been bridged only four times in the past; HCC holds the distinction of building two of these bridges and has now constructed the fifth bridge.

The superstructure of the Bogibeel bridge has been constructed using special copper-bearing steel plates to reduce corrosion. Furthermore, due to excessive humidity in the area, a complex Corrosion Protection System specific to different components of the bridge has been implemented. To offer good stability to the heavy spans (1700 MT), seismic restrainers are provided. The bridge is designed to withstand earthquakes with magnitudes above 7.0.

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated the Bogibeel bridge on December 25, 2018. Built on the Brahmaputra River in the Dibrugarh district of Assam, it is the first fully welded steel bridge and the longest rail-cum-road bridge in India.