Mamata lays foundation stone for Rs 1,670-crore bridge to connect Sagar Island

Sagar Island (WB), Jan 5 (PTI) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday laid the foundation stone for a nearly 5-km-long bridge over the Muriganga river to connect Sagar Island, where the annual Gangasagar Mela is held.

The Rs 1,670-crore bridge, named the 'Gangasagar Setu', will provide all-weather road connectivity to Sagar Island, located at the confluence of the Hooghly river and the Bay of Bengal.

Lakhs of pilgrims from across the country visit the island in the South 24 Parganas district every year to take a dip at the confluence and offer prayers at the Kapil Muni temple on Makar Sankranti on January 14.

At the programme, documents were ceremonially exchanged between the West Bengal government and Larsen & Toubro Ltd (L&T), which has been awarded the contract for the construction, in the presence of the chief minister.

The bridge is expected to be completed within two years, officials said.

At present, Sagar Island is accessible only by ferry services, which often become bottlenecks during the annual Gangasagar Mela due to heavy pilgrim inflow and tidal conditions. PTI AMR PNT SOM