Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday laid the foundation stone for a 5-km-long bridge, named Gangasagar Setu, over the Muriganga river to connect Sagar Island, where the annual Gangasagar Mela is held.
The Rs 1,700-crore worth bridge has been designed to end transport hardship for millions of pilgrims coming to the mela. Addressing a gathering at the Bharat Sevashram Sangha here, the CM declared that the state government will no longer wait for central assistance, moving forward with the four-lane bridge independently “to transform the international pilgrimage into a seamless experience”. Stating that constructing the Gangasagar Setu is “particularly difficult”, the CM asserted that she will “feel relieved once this work is completed”.
Lakhs of pilgrims from across the country visit the island in the South 24 Parganas district every year to take a dip at the confluence and offer prayers at the Kapil Muni temple on Makar Sankranti.
“Earlier, a lot of meetings were held regarding Gangasagar. The Chief Secretary also conducted a few meetings. I have also held meetings. A team of 10–12 officials has been staying in the area for four days to supervise the arrangements. I came here (today) to take stock of the situation. The administration is also closely involved in the arrangements. The fair will be held on 14 and 15 January, which is the day of Purna Snan. Pilgrims have already started arriving,” she said.
“Previously, a tax was levied on those who came to the Gangasagar Mela. We have withdrawn that tax. We have also decided that between January 9 to 17, if any death takes place — whether police personnel, journalists, common people, officers, or workers — the family members of the deceased will receive Rs 5 lakh as compensation,” said the CM.
“The Kumbh Mela is connected by the railways and airways, yet a major accident took place there. We do not want such incidents to happen here. That is why it has been our long-standing demand that a bridge should be constructed. The administration faces serious difficulties in transporting people one by one. There is no other option. It cannot be adequately explained how challenging the situation is. It is a long, six-month process to make the arrangements. We are using state government funds to provide facilities such as toilets, food and drinking water. The administration has requested Delhi several times to build a bridge to ease these difficulties. More than one crore people come to the Gangasagar Mela, and they face problems. We have no intention of begging before anyone. You have seen that the PWD Department has handed over the project to L&T. An amount of Rs 1,700 crore will be spent to construct this bridge. A large bridge requires time to build. We have built many bridges, but constructing the Gangasagar Setu is particularly difficult. Therefore, those who are capable and efficient will carry out this work. It will require more manpower. Once this work is completed, I will feel relieved,” she added.
“The Gangasagar Mela is never funded, but a lot of money is given to the Kumbh Mela. Those who do not give us money, we are not going to beg before them. The Gangasagar Mela belongs to the common people. This is an international world fair. We do not need any more stamps or approvals,” she said.
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“This year we are expecting over one crore visitors,” the CM said.
Flagging concerns over deletion of names from the electoral roll during the SIR process, the CM said, “This has happened in several cases. Even the name of the Maharaj of Bharat Sevashram Sangha, along with names of many monks, sadhus, and common people, has been deleted”.
