The Minister of Road Transport & Highways and Shipping Nitin Gadkari has announced a financial assistance of Rs. 200 crore as the first instalment for the immediate repairs of National Highways damaged due to the heavy rains in Assam. The announcement was made after the Assam Chief Minister Shri Sarbananda Sonowal called on Shri Gadkari for a review of the situation in Assam where heavy rains have led to National Highways being damaged. Meanwhile, an expert team of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) officials has been despatched for on the spot assessment of the damage. If needed, further financial assistance will be provided based on the NHAI team's report. The NHAI team is expected to submit its report within a week.Another Rs 400 crore has been sanctioned for dredging work in Brahmaputra river. The work will start from September using six dredgers. Dredging will increase the depth of the river and prevent it from flooding. A total of seven bridges are to be built on Brahmaputra river during the next five years for better road connectivity with the NE region. Work on two bridges is underway. DPR for three more bridges is to be prepared by the state govt. Shri Gadkari has also asked the state government to submit the DPR for the proposed Bhramaputra National Highways to be built along the banks of the river at a cost of Rs 40,000 crore.