Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) completed major rehabilitation works of the iconic Saraighat Bridge over river Brahmaputra on September 15,2026. Commissioned in 1962, the bridge has served for over six decades, playing a vital role in connecting the Northeast with the rest of the country.
Wear & Tear
Over the years, the bridge had undergone considerable wear and tear. The deterioration of the upper deck slab had begun to affect the main structural members, necessitating urgent and comprehensive intervention.
At this stage, routine maintenance and minor repairs were no longer adequate. A comprehensive rehabilitation was taken up at a cost of approximately Rs 7 crore to restore the bridge and enhance its long-term structural reliability. The repair works commenced on July 13, 2026 and the comprehensive rehabilitation work has now been successfully completed on September 15, 2026.
Comprehensive Structural Rehabilitation
The rehabilitation work was taken up with the objective of restoring the condition of the bridge, strengthening its critical structural components and ensuring that its structural integrity continues to meet modern load-bearing requirements and safety benchmarks.
During inspection and assessment, several areas requiring urgent attention were identified. These included a distressed expansion joint at the Amingaon end, distress in supporting steel members, development of structural cracks and cavity formation in spalled concrete, resulting in ingress of water and damage to 8 out of the 11 expansion joints provided in the bridge. Multiple potholes and distressed portions were also observed on the road deck, requiring dismantling, repair through concreting and adequate curing time.
Earlier this year, pothole repairs had been undertaken on multiple occasions, particularly between January and May, 2026. However, due to the limited curing time available while maintaining traffic movement, the repaired concrete surface was damaged again, particularly under the impact of heavy-loaded vehicles. This necessitated a more comprehensive and durable rehabilitation approach.
Major Works Done:
As part of the comprehensive rehabilitation of the Saraighat Bridge, extensive repair and strengthening works were undertaken. These included dismantling and repair of eight damaged expansion joints, removal and recasting of distressed portions of the concrete road deck and detailed repair and strengthening of the underlying steel structural members. Damaged deck portions at multiple locations were systematically restored through concreting, followed by adequate curing to ensure durability, structural integrity and long-term performance of the bridge.
Investment in Long-Term Infrastructure Safety:
The rehabilitation of Saraighat Bridge have addressed the distressed expansion joints, strengthened supporting structural members and rehabilitated the road deck at multiple locations. The work has been undertaken with a clear focus on safety, structural integrity, long-term durability.