UPSC Prelims 2026 Q61: Maitri Setu, Jhulaghat & Mechi Bridges
Consider the following statements about river bridges connecting India with neighbouring countries:
1. 'Maitri Setu', built over Feni river, connects Ramgarh in India with Sabroom in Bangladesh.
2. Jhulaghat suspension bridge connects India with Myanmar.
3. Mechi bridge and its approaches connect Panitanki Bypass in India with Kakarvitta in Nepal.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- 1 and 2
- 2 and 3
- 1 only
- 3 only
Answer: (d) 3 only
Statement-wise explanation
- 1: incorrect — Maitri Setu is a 1.9 km bridge over the Feni river, but the two end towns are the other way round. It links Sabroom in South Tripura (India) with Ramgarh in Chittagong division (Bangladesh). The statement puts Ramgarh in India and Sabroom in Bangladesh, so it is wrong. PM Modi and Sheikh Hasina opened the bridge on 9 March 2021.
- 2: incorrect — Jhulaghat is a small suspension bridge over the Kali (Mahakali) river in Pithoragarh district, Uttarakhand. It links India with Baitadi district in Nepal's Sudurpashchim province, not with Myanmar. British engineers built it in 1877, and only pedestrians and two-wheelers can use it. Uttarakhand does not border Myanmar at all.
- 3: correct — The new Mechi bridge (about 675 m) crosses the Mechi river, which forms the India–Nepal border at this point. The bridge and its approaches link the Panitanki Bypass in Darjeeling district, West Bengal, with Kakarvitta in Jhapa district, Nepal. It sits at the Nepal end of Asian Highway 2. NHIDCL was the implementing agency, and the project was funded by the Government of India through an ADB loan (estimated cost ₹158.65 crore).
How to eliminate
Start with Statement 2. Jhulaghat is in Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand, and Uttarakhand borders only Nepal and China (Tibet). India's border with Myanmar runs only through Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur and Mizoram. A Kumaon bridge cannot lead to Myanmar, so Statement 2 is false. That rules out the two options that contain 2 and leaves '1 only' or '3 only'. You then need one fact: which bank each Maitri Setu town is on. Sabroom is Tripura's southernmost town and the Indian railhead for Chittagong port, so the statement has swapped the towns. This swap trap is common in UPSC: the river is right and the towns are real, but their positions are reversed. If you remember 'Sabroom = India, Ramgarh = Bangladesh', the answer follows. For Statement 3, Panitanki on the Mechi near Siliguri is a well-known Nepal border crossing, which supports it. Rule to remember: on bridge and corridor questions, check the river, both end towns, and which country each town is in.
Know more
India's cross-border bridges sit at points where a river forms the international boundary. Many of them are built and paid for by India as connectivity aid.
| Bridge | River | Indian end | Neighbour end | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maitri Setu | Feni | Sabroom (Tripura) | Ramgarh (Bangladesh) | 1.9 km; opened 9 March 2021; built by NHIDCL at India's cost (about ₹133 crore) |
| Mechi bridge | Mechi | Panitanki Bypass (Darjeeling, WB) | Kakarvitta (Jhapa, Nepal) | About 675 m; Asian Highway 2; ADB-loan funded, NHIDCL |
| Jhulaghat | Kali/Mahakali | Jhulaghat (Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand) | Baitadi (Nepal) | Suspension footbridge, 1877; a motorable bridge has been proposed |
| Dharchula bridge | Mahakali | Dharchula (Uttarakhand) | Darchula (Nepal) | Built under an India–Nepal MoU approved by the Union Cabinet |
Why these matter
- Maitri Setu gives the North-East a route to Chittagong port, which is about 80 km from Sabroom. Goods would no longer need to go the long way through the Siliguri Corridor, which is why Tripura is called a possible 'Gateway of the North-East'.
- Mechi bridge lies at the eastern end of the India–Nepal border, next to the Siliguri Corridor. It is one of the busiest trade crossings for Nepal and is part of the ADB-backed SASEC road corridor.
- The Mahakali forms Nepal's western border with Uttarakhand. The Mechi forms part of its eastern border with West Bengal. Together they mark the two ends of the India–Nepal boundary.
Exam pattern: UPSC tests the river–town–country triple. Memorise each bridge as one unit: name, river, both end towns, and the state on the Indian side.
In the news
Cross-border connectivity with Bangladesh and Nepal was in the news in 2025–26. Bangladesh got a new government, and India and Nepal held talks on road, rail and payment links. That made the existing bridge links, Maitri Setu and the Mechi bridge, likely exam material.
NCERT Concepts to Revise
- India-Bangladesh border: Statement 1 turns on which side of the India–Bangladesh border each end town of the Feni river bridge lies.