Guwahati

With the inauguration of the Kumar Bhaskar Verma Setu on February 14, connectivity between Guwahati and North Guwahati across the Brahmaputra River has received a major boost. SPS Construction India Pvt. Ltd., the executing agency for the project, has outlined the engineering strategy and on-ground execution that enabled completion of the six-lane bridge under challenging riverine conditions.

Spanning around 1.24 kilometres, the bridge has been built using an extradosed pre-stressed concrete design — a hybrid structural system combining features of box girders and cable-supported bridges. This configuration improves span efficiency while ensuring deck stiffness and long-term load stability, making it well-suited for a high-traffic urban corridor.

Construction over the Brahmaputra posed significant geotechnical and hydrological challenges due to the river’s shifting sediment base, heavy monsoon discharge and fluctuating water levels. To address these factors, SPS Construction India carried out extensive soil investigations, hydraulic modelling and phased construction planning before commencing pier work. Specialised drilling systems and staged cofferdam arrangements were deployed to stabilise foundation activity while minimising disruption to active river flow.

The erection of the superstructure involved carefully sequenced cable tensioning and deck alignment, supported by continuous structural monitoring to maintain balance across spans. Pre-stressed components were installed under controlled stress conditions, with alignment checks conducted at each stage to ensure geometric precision.

Commenting on the project, Rohit Singla, Director of SPS Construction India, acknowledged the support of the Government of India and the Government of Assam in enabling the timely completion of the bridge. He noted that building an extradosed bridge over a dynamic river like the Brahmaputra required managing hydrological unpredictability, deep foundation complexity and high-precision cable calibration simultaneously.

Given the scale of the structure and environmental conditions, the company adopted continuous weather tracking, river-level monitoring and enhanced inspection cycles, particularly during peak monsoon periods. Temporary marine logistics platforms were also used to transport heavy components and maintain alignment accuracy during superstructure erection.

With the bridge now operational, it is expected to improve traffic dispersal between Guwahati and North Guwahati, easing pressure on existing crossings. The design also reduces the number of piers within the active river channel, balancing structural stability with hydraulic sensitivity.

SPS Construction India said the project reflects a broader shift towards advanced bridge typologies in urban river environments, where structural performance, lifecycle durability and environmental management must be addressed together.

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Founded in 1996, SPS Construction India Pvt. Ltd. is a multi-disciplinary infrastructure development company with experience in delivering bridges, flyovers, elevated corridors and transportation projects across India.