Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated India’s first cable-stayed bridge, Sudarshan Setu, which will connect Okha mainland and Beyt Dwarka, in Gujarat today.
The bridge, which cost roughly Rs 980 crore, is the longest cable-stayed bridge in the country, measuring around 2.32 km.
The bridge holds immense significance for the devotees who visit the Dwarkadhish Temple.
“Tomorrow is a special day for Gujarat’s growth trajectory. Among the several projects being inaugurated is the Sudarshan Setu, connecting Okha mainland and Beyt Dwarka. This is a stunning project which will enhance connectivity,” PM Modi wrote on social media platform X on Saturday, ahead of his two-day Gujarat visit.
Let’s look at the features of the bridge in detail:
• Sudarshan Setu, which was earlier named as ‘Signature Bridge’, is India’s longest cable-stayed bridge, with solar panels installed on the upper portions of the footpath, generating one megawatt of electricity.
• The four-lane bridge has 2.50-metre-wide footpaths on each side.
• PM Modi had laid its foundation in October 2017
• The bridge would make it easier for devotees to travel between Dwarka and Beyt Dwarka, as they had to rely on boats to reach Beyt Dwarka till now. The bridge will also be a prominent tourist attraction in Devbhumi Dwarka.
• Sudarshan Setu has a distinctive design, with a pathway decorated with verses from the Shrimad Bhagavad Gita and images of Bhagwan Krishna on both sides.
Other Cable-Stayed Bridges in India
Bandra–Worli Sea Link
The sea link, which was conceptualised in the 90s, is the first eight-lane, cable-stayed freeway over the open sea. The final cost of the bridge, after PILs from fishermen and environmentalists, rose to Rs 16.5 billion from Rs 13 billion. The 5.6 km bridge reduces commutation time between Worli and the Suburbs of Bandra from 60-90 minutes to under 10 minutes.
Manohar Setu
The eight-lane cable-stayed bridge in Goa is 640 metre-long is known as Manohar Setu over Zuari river. The foundation stone for the bridge was laid in 2016, but the construction was delayed due to the 2020 Covid pandemic. The bridge runs parallel to the old bridge and connects North Goa, including Panaji, to South Goa and business hub of Margao. The bridge is designed to last for another 120 years and can allow vehicle speed of 80 km/ hour, but the government may reduce it to 60 km/ hour. The total estimate cost of the bridge is Rs 2,701 crore.
Kota-Chambal Bridge
The six-lane cable-stayed hanging bridge in Rajasthan has been built across the Chambal river on Kota Bypass on NH-76 of the East-West Corridor. The 30-metre wide bridge is 1.4 km long and was built at the estimate cost of Rs 277 crore. The bridge is reportedly equipped with a state-of-the-art system that can handle high traffic jams and is constructed to withstand strong rains, winds, and storms. It is also equipped with seismic notification that is delivered to the bridge’s control room, in case of an earthquake. To prevent any disturbance to wildlife in the region, a 7.5 metre Noise Barrier with about 70% in a 700 metre length has also been installed on both sides of the bridge.
3rd Narmada Bridge
The bridge in Bharuch, Gujarat, is a Four-Lane “Extra-dosed” Bridge over the Narmada at Bharuch on NH-8 and Petrochemicals Complex of OPAL at Dahej. The bridge has 25-40 metre-long cables. The bridge consists a total of 216 such cables. The Bharuch bridge has 17.4-metre wide 4-lane road and the footpath on the bridge is 3 metres long. The Bharuch bridge reduces heavy traffic from NH8 Bharuch.
Vidyasagar Setu
The bridge in Kolkata, West Bengal, links Kolkata to Howrah. It was opened in 1992, with a total length of 823 metres (2,700 ft). Named after the education reformer and a key contributor to Bengal Renaissance Pandit Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, the bridge cost Rs 3.88 billion to build. Vidyasagar Setu was built to decrease the congestion on Howrah Bridge that is located about 8 km away.
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