The long-awaited stone-laying ceremony of the Gangasagar bridge is likely to be held in the first week of January. The Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government has decided to construct a five-kilometre-long bridge over the Muriganga river to connect Sagar island with the mainland.
Apart from easing access for pilgrims heading to the annual Gangasagar Mela, the bridge will link nearly four lakh residents of Sagar island with the mainland.
The West Bengal Public Works Department (PWD) will be the nodal agency for the project. A senior PWD official said, “The Detailed Project Report (DPR) has already been prepared and Larsen & Toubro has emerged as the lowest bidder. We are now waiting for the Chief Minister to finalise a date in the first week of January for the stone-laying ceremony, after which construction will begin.”
According to sources, the estimated cost of the bridge along with approach roads is around Rs 1,700 crore.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had earlier urged the Centre to build a bridge over the Muriganga. “We had repeatedly asked the Central government for the bridge, but they did not respond. So we have decided to build it ourselves. The requisite survey was done and the DPR and tender for the project were completed. It may take another four years to build it,” Banerjee had said during a preparatory meeting for the Gangasagar Mela, which will be held in January 2026.
Officials said the bridge will be an extra-dosed cable-stayed structure spanning five kilometres. “In Asia, such extra-dosed cable-stayed bridges of this length are rare. This four-lane bridge will be a unique structure,” a senior PWD official said.
He added, “The bridge will connect Kakdwip and Sagar island and reduce the travel time from around 45 minutes to just five to 10 minutes. Currently, passengers have to depend on ferry services, which are affected by high tide and fog. Ro-ro services are also not available throughout the day for vehicles from Lot-8 to Sagar island.”
“Once the bridge is completed, it will significantly ease travel for residents of Sagar island, especially those requiring emergency medical care in hospitals or access to Kolkata,” the official said.
Highlighting its impact on tourism, he added, “Kapil Muni ashram at Sagar island is the main attraction for pilgrims, and the Gangasagar Mela draws crores every January. The bridge will make religious tourism more accessible and also boost general tourism due to improved logistics and connectivity.”
He further said that improved connectivity could open up future possibilities, including “If transportation is better after the bridge is built, we can consider a port at Sagar island in the near future.”