News Brief
Nishtha Anushree
Feb 25, 2024, 10:03 AM | Updated 10:03 AM IST
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated India's longest cable-stayed bridge today (25 February) connecting the Okha mainland and the Beyt Dwarka island in Gujarat.
Known as Sudarshan Setu, the bridge was built at a cost of around Rs 980 crore. Its foundation was laid by PM Modi himself in October 2017. The bridge is 2.32 kilometres long.
"Tomorrow is a special day for Gujarat's growth trajectory. Among the several projects being inaugurated is the Sudarshan Setu, connecting Okha mainland and Beyt Dwarka. This is a stunning project which will enhance connectivity," Modi posted on X earlier.
Sudarshan Setu has a unique design, featuring a 2.5 m wide footpath on each side adorned with verses from Shrimad Bhagavad Gita and images of Lord Krishna on both sides.
The upper portions of the footpath have solar panels installed that generate 1 megawatt of electricity. This iconic bridge will also serve as a major tourist attraction of Devbhumi Dwarka.
The bridge aims to ease transportation and significantly reduce the time of devotees travelling between Dwarka and Beyt-Dwarka. Before the bridge's construction, pilgrims had to rely on boat transport to reach Beyt Dwarka.
After the inauguration, PM Modi prayed at the Dwarkadhish Temple in Beyt Dwarka. He is set to dedicate and lay the foundation stone of multiple development projects worth more than Rs 4,150 crore in Dwarka.
Nishtha Anushree is Senior Sub-editor at Swarajya. She tweets at @nishthaanushree.