West Bengal to spend Rs 1,500 crore to build bridge for Ganga Sagar pilgrims: Mamata Banerjee

Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday said her government would build a five-km-long bridge over a river connecting the mainland with the Sagar Island, where the annual Gangasagar Mela is held, since the Centre has not responded to its repeated appeals in this regard.

The Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the four-lane bridge has been conducted, she said.

Banerjee named the proposed bridge "Gangasagar Sethu” and said that the state would spend Rs 1,500 crore to build the structure, the tender of which has been floated.

"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,” she said.

The bridge would be built over the Muri Ganga river.

“The total cost to build it would be around Rs 1,500 crore and the construction would be over by four years. This will not only help the pilgrims for the Ganga Sagar but also the inhabitants of the Sagar Island," Banerjee said.

The West Bengal CM held a meeting at the state secretariat to review the preparations for the upcoming Ganga Sagar Mela scheduled next month.

Banerjee further said that the Centre has not provided a single penny to the state government for the purpose.

"The Centre has not provided us any financial aid for the Ganga Sagar Mela though they help the Kumbh Mela and other fairs financially. I had appealed to them to declare Ganga Sagar as a national fair, but they did not pay any attention to that. They also did not give us a single paisa for the construction of the bridge," she said.

On the preparations for this season's Ganga Sagar Mela to be held from January 9 to 17, the Bengal CM said that all measures have been taken to make it successful.

In an apparent reference to the ongoing unrest in neighbouring Bangladesh, Banerjee asked various agencies to tighten security measures to counter any attempt to disrupt law and order.

"I am not discussing this matter here. But there are a few areas which are vulnerable this year. We must keep a watch. The Navy, the coastal guard, the Port and police, IB and SB need to keep vigil so that no untoward incident can take place. We have to be very careful," she said.

Stating that over 12,000 policemen would be deployed for the Ganga Sagar Mela excluding other volunteers, Banerjee said more watch towers would be set up so that more areas could be brought under vigilance.

She said that 2,250 state-run buses and 250 private buses, nine barges, 32 vessels, 100 launches, and 21 jetties would be used during the Ganga Sagar Mela.

The CM said that all vehicles would be fitted with GPS tracking system as well as satellite tracking with the help of the ISRO.

Banerjee requested the officials of the Railways, present at the meeting, to run additional trains from Sealdah, Howrah and Namkhana to cope with the huge number of pilgrims coming to attend the Mela from across the country.

The Bengal CM requested the Kolkata Police to send at least eight traffic sergeants to ensure smooth traffic movement.

The Gangasagar Mela, which is held on the occasion of Makar Sankranti, will continue till January 17. Over 90 lakh people from across the country are expected to attend the congregation this year.