Vidyasagar Setu

Vidyasagar Setu is constructed on the River Hooghly in West Bengal state of India. The Setu actually links the city of Kolkata and Howrah. The bridge has a length of 823 meters and it is considered to be the longest cable-supported bridge in the country. Vidyasagar Setu is also known as the second conduit to be built on River Hooghly (the first being the famous Howrah Bridge). The bridge was completed in the year 1943 and it was named after the popular educationist Mr. Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar. The bridge was completed at a cost of 3.88 billion INR. The bridge was commissioned by the local authority Hooghly Bridge Commission on 10th October 1992.

The project was completed with the help of a joint participation between the private and public sectors and governed by Hooghly Bridge Commission. The Vidyasagar Setu is generally utilized by more than 30,000 vehicles every day. Commercial activities and population grew quickly after the country’s independence in 1947. The solitary link for the people of West Bengal to travel between Kolkata and Howrah was actually subjected to extensive traffic congestion. More than 85,000 vehicles started using Vidyasagar Setu and this demanded the construction of a new bridge on the Hooghly River so that the bridge could connect the state to other cities like Chennai, Patna, Mumbai and Delhi.

Geography

The foundation stone was laid by Mrs. Indira Gandhi on 20th May, 1972. Vidyasagar Setu took twenty-two years to complete, but in 7 out of 22 years there was absolutely no construction activity involved. Construction on the cable-supported bridge began with the well curb predestined on the Kolkata bank end on 3rd July, 1979. When finally commissioned on 10th October 1992, it actually became the longest distance bridge of this kind in the world. During that period, it was the initial cable-supported bridge in the country, the largest in continent Asia and the 3rd biggest in the world.

There are 3 other bridges on River Hooghly connecting Howrah and Kolkata: Vivekananda Setu, which was built in the year 1932 - the first bridge to be commissioned and which urgent repairs; Nivedita Setu, which was christened after Sister Nivedita, also called the Second Vivekananda Setu is 50 meters downstream of the prior old Vivekananda Setu and the famous Howrah Bridge, a girder bridge commissioned in the year 1943, now retitled as Rabindra Setu (in the rectitude of the Noble Prize Winner Rabindranath Tagore).

Description of the Bridge

Specifications

Vidyasagar Setu is unquestionably a strong cable-supported bridge that has 121 cables in the form of fan arrangement. The bridge was built utilizing steel pylons of 127.62 meters in elevation. The total length of the bridge is 823 meters, hence Vidyasagar Setu is actually the longest cable–supported bridge in the country and also one of the lengthiest in Asia. Moreover, the deck portion is made of amalgamated steel-reinforced solid with double carriageways. The total breadth of the conduit is 35 meters with 3 lanes built in each direction and 1.2 meters wide walkway built on each side. Furthermore, the floor over the main area is 457.20 meters long. In addition, the two side distances are actually supported by corresponding wire cables and these cables are 182.88 meters in length.

Vidyasagar Setu is in fact a toll bridge that has free bicycle lanes. The bridge has the capacity to bear the weight of 85,000 vehicles every day without any hassles. The bridge was architecturally designed by the famous Schlaich Bergermann and Partner Company and inspected by Freeman Fox and Partners along with Bharat Udyog Nigam Limited. Moreover, the construction was executed by the conglomerate of Burn and Jessop and Braithwaite. River Hooghly Bridge Commission was actually responsible for the contracting and assigning operations of Vidyasagar Setu.

The design of Vidyasagar Setu differs somewhat from other bridges that tend to have live load amalgamated construction. The dissimilarity is actually in dead load concept taken for this conduit and solidification of the side areas done with the support given by the middle trestle. The surface is designed and constructed with a grid assembly of girders. Furthermore, one assembly of girders is placed at the end while other set is placed in the middle that is fixed by girders spread out on regular 4.2 meters from center to center.

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