State to take initiative to build bridge over River Muri Ganga

Sagar Island: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday announced that the state will only take initiative of constructing a bridge across River Muri Ganga to connect Sagar Island with the mainland after the Centre did not take up the project despite giving assurances.

The Chief Minister said that this time also she raised the issue during her meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi. "Let us try constructing it in future. The project involves an investment of a few thousand crores… We will take up project. But it will take sometime," Banerjee said. It needs a mention that the bridge would be 3.5 km long and there would be requirement of at least Rs 1500 crore for the project. The bridge would further improve the connectivity with Sagar Island and crossing river Muri Ganga by vessels would become a matter of the past. Besides pilgrims, it would also be helpful in improving the economy of the region.

Earlier the Centre had assured of constructing the bridge against 74 per cent stake in Tajpur Port. "They neither developed Tajpur Port nor the bridge. I have raised the demand of construction of the bridge during my visit to New Delhi as it would benefit lakhs of people," she said.

With the Centre not taking up the Tajpur port, the state government only floated the expression of interest (EOI) to develop the same.