The 53km bamboo bridge built across the Na Dihing river by villagers of Tengapani and named after Assam’s singing sensation Zubeen Garg will be inaugurated by the singer himself at Tengapani-Thepabari at 10am on Saturday.

Bulbul Maut, the chief convener of the Zubeen Garg Bridge Inauguration Committee, told The Telegraph on Thursday afternoon over phone, “We hope that with the inauguration of the bridge, the Assam government will start developing the area as a tourist spot. Like Maguri-Motapung Beel, Borbeel bridge here is also famous for migratory birds. Dolphins, too, are often seen swimming in the Na Dihing. The nearest Kumseng reserve forest is rich in flora and fauna. The area, which falls under Doomdooma subdivision of Kakopathar block, is also famous for lemon and rice sold out of the state.”

Maut said they (the villagers) have written a letter to the forest department saying the area could be developed as a tourist spot and the department should take an initiative in this regard.

“There will be a 24-hour programme to inaugurate the bridge. The ceremony will include the inauguration of a wall magazine to raise awareness on wildlife conservation and issues related with farmers and fish mongers. The magazine will be inaugurated by Kedar Namchung, the president of the Namsai (Arunachal Pradesh) branch of Asam Sahitya Sabha. A friendly volleyball match will be played between the people of Assam and Arunachal and in there will be a brotherhood programme in the evening. We have informed Tinsukia police,” Maut added.

Palash Changmai, the general secretary of the Assam Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chhatra Parishad, Lurinjyoti Gogoi, the general secretary of the All Assam Students’ Union, singer Bipin Chaodang and researcher of Dibrugarh University, Gyan Shree Borah, have also been invited.

The residents of Tengapani, a village of Assam bordering Arunachal Pradesh’s Namsai district, constructed the 490-metre bamboo bridge in around a month.

The village houses over 100 families.

“We hope this bridge becomes a concrete one to provide permanent relief for schoolchildren, traders and patients. Everyday 500 people have to cross the river and there is just a single boat,” said Pramila Moran, a social activist of Kakopathar block.

The structure also highlights the misery of villagers who have to depend on makeshift bamboo bridges that get washed away every monsoon.

The area is affected by floods and erosions by the Brahmaputra and its tributaries that render thousands of farmers homeless and landless.

Devastating floods in 1992 separated both the banks of the Na Dihing and since then, this is the first bridge across it.