CM Mamata lays foundation stone of 4.75 km Gangasagar bridge

With only a few days left for the annual Gangasagar Mela, chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday visited Sagar Island to review last-minute preparations and laid the foundation stone of the long-awaited four-lane bridge over the Muriganga river.

The project is expected to significantly improve connectivity to the island.

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The chief minister also visited the Kapil Muni’s Ashram, where she offered prayers, performed aarti and presented a sari at the temple. Speaking to the Media from the temple premises, Banerjee said extensive preparations had been made for the upcoming fair, which is scheduled to begin from Friday. “Seven to eight meetings have already been held regarding the fair. I personally inspected the arrangements today. A dedicated team has been formed and we are expecting nearly one crore pilgrims this year,” she said.

The proposed Gangasagar bridge, spanning approximately 4.75 km, will be a four-lane structure connecting Kakdwip with Sagar Island. According to sources in the public works department, the project will require the acquisition of nearly 12.97 acres of land and is estimated to cost around Rs 1,670 crore.

At the foundation-laying ceremony, the chief minister announced that Larsen & Toubro (L&T) has been awarded the construction responsibility. She said the entire cost of the project would be borne by the state government. “This has been a long-standing demand of the people of Sagar Island. We do not just make promises; we deliver,” Banerjee said. Recalling the popular saying, “Sab tirtha bar bar, Gangasagar ek bar” (all pilgrimages many times, Gangasagar once), the chief minister remarked that the proverb would soon become outdated. “It will now be ‘Sab sagar ek bar, Gangasagar bar bar’,” she said, adding that the bridge would make travel to Gangasagar easier, safer and more frequent.

Miss Banerjee stated that construction of the bridge is expected to be completed within the next two to three years. She noted that the project had been conceptualised nearly six years ago, but repeated requests to the Centre for financial assistance did not yield results. “Despite approaching the Centre several times, we did not receive any support. Ultimately, keeping in mind the people of Sagar Island and the lakhs of pilgrims, who visit Gangasagar every year, the state government decided to build the bridge on its own,” she said.

From the temple premises, the chief minister also criticised the BJP and the Election Commission over alleged deletion of names from the electoral rolls during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR). She claimed that the names of saints and social workers had also been removed.

“Even the name of a Bharat Sevashram Sangha (BSS) monk has been deleted,” she said. Swami Jitatmananda, alias Nemai Maharaj, BSS Sagar Island head, has been serving in Bengal for nearly 40 years, a monk of the order said. Calling the deletions “unjust”, Banerjee alleged political interference in the process. “If anyone is acting at the behest of the BJP, this injustice will not be tolerated,” she warned.