Silchar, Assam: The crucial Gammon Bridge on National Highway 6 (NH-6), a vital artery for the Barak Valley and connectivity to the entire Northeast, has been successfully reopened to vehicular traffic. The bridge resumed operation on Sunday evening (December 14, 2025), precisely at the end of the 48-hour emergency shutdown period enforced by the Cachar District Administration.
The reopening brings a major sigh of relief to commuters, transporters, and traders who faced disruption due to the unexpected closure of the region’s main thoroughfare.
⚙️ Swift Action Averts Structural Risk
The District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), Cachar, had ordered the complete prohibition of all motorised movement across the bridge from 6:00 PM on Friday, December 12, 2025, to 6:00 PM on Sunday, December 14, 2025.
This decisive action, taken under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, was necessitated after engineers from the National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd. (NHIDCL) reported critical damage to several structural bearings of the decades-old bridge. The failure of a bearing had reportedly caused a noticeable dip at one of the joints, requiring immediate replacement to safeguard public life and prevent a catastrophic failure.
The district administration’s swift coordination with NHIDCL ensured that the urgent repair and replacement work was executed efficiently within the tight 48-hour deadline.
🔄 Diversion Plan and Safety Deployment
Throughout the repair period, the Cachar District Administration had effectively managed traffic flow using a comprehensive diversion plan:
- Primary Diversion: Vehicles were routed via the longer Kalain-Khambarbazar-Bihara-Baburbazar-Borkhola (NH-27) route.
- Alternate Route: The Silchar-Kalain Road (SH-38) was restricted to Light Motor Vehicles (LMV) and goods carriers below 15 MT.
To ensure safety and law and order, SDRF teams and police personnel were strategically deployed at key diversion points and temporary ghats, ensuring minimal logistical chaos and public safety management.
🌐 Vital Connectivity Restored
The immediate reopening of the Gammon Bridge, four months after its previous major repair in July 2025, underscores its continuous vulnerability and its indispensable role as the primary lifeline for the Barak Valley and the states of Tripura, Mizoram, and Manipur.
With the successful completion of the emergency work, normalcy has returned to the region’s transport and supply chains. Residents, however, continue to urge authorities to prioritize a long-term, permanent solution to stabilize the bridge and prevent recurring disruptions to this critical infrastructure.
