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 ?
- (a) 1 and 2
- (b) 2 and 3
- (c) 1 only
- (d) 3 only ✓ UPSC's answer
Why the answer is (d)
• Maitri Setu (2021) spans the Feni river and links Sabroom in Tripura, India, with Ramgarh in Bangladesh; statement 1 has the towns on the wrong sides of the border and is therefore wrong.
• The Jhulaghat suspension bridge crosses the Kali (Mahakali) river between Pithoragarh district, Uttarakhand, and Nepal — it does not connect India with Myanmar, so statement 2 is wrong.
• The Mechi bridge, built with Indian assistance on the Mechi river, connects the Panitanki bypass in West Bengal with Kakarvitta in Nepal on the Asian Highway 2 alignment — statement 3 is correct.
• Such bridges matter for the Act East and Neighbourhood First policies, giving landlocked Nepal and the North-east shorter access to ports.
• Hence 3 only, option (d).
Why the other options are wrong
- (a) 1 and 2
- Statement 1 reverses the towns (Sabroom is in India, Ramgarh in Bangladesh) and statement 2 names the wrong country.
- (b) 2 and 3
- Statement 2 is wrong: Jhulaghat connects India with Nepal, not Myanmar.
- (c) 1 only
- Statement 1 is wrong: Ramgarh is in Bangladesh and Sabroom in India.
Asked in the GS Paper I of the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2026, held on 24 May 2026. Question and answer key: Union Public Service Commission. Explanation: UPSC Answer Check.