Gujarat's Sudarshan Setu To Boost Connectivity, Tourism: Know About India’s Longest Cable-Stayed Bridge

Sudarshan Setu's overall length is 4,772 metres, including a 900-metre cable-stayed section. The Union government sponsored the four-lane bridge, which cost Rs 978 crore. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday inaugurated 'Sudarshan Setu', the country's longest cable-stayed bridge in Gujarat, which is designed to improve connectivity and tourism. PM Modi described it as a "stunning project" and said the opening was a "special day for Gujarat's growth trajectory". The bridge spans the Arabian Sea, connecting Beyt Dwarka island to mainland Okha in Gujarat's Devbhumi Dwarka district. It links Okha, a town in the Devbhumi Dwarka region of mainland Gujarat, to Bet Dwarka, an island about 3 kilometers away. Its overall length is 4,772 metres, including a 900-metre cable-stayed section. The Union government sponsored the four-lane bridge, which cost Rs 978 crore. 

Key Features Of Sudarshan Setu

1. At 4,772 meters (4.77 km) in length, Sudarshan Setu now holds the title of India's longest cable-stayed bridge. Bhavnagar has a single cable-stayed bridge, but its length is merely a few dozen meters. Meanwhile, the Narmada bridge in Bharuch stretches over 1.3 kilometers. "However, the Narmada bridge is an extra dosed cable-stayed bride, which technically differs from a typical cable-stayed bridge like Sudarshan Setu, as the latter’s spans can be longer," stated a senior official.

2. Bet Dwarka is the second biggest island off the Gujarat coast, behind the Union Territory of Diu, which is located on the Una coast in Gir Somnath. While Diu has a geographical area of around 40 square kilometers, Bet Dwarka covers 36 square kilometers. The island of Bet Dwarka is part of Okha municipality and has a population of around 10,000. Currently, the sole mode of transportation between Bet Dwarka and mainland Gujarat is a ferry boat service that runs from Dwarka to Okha, the nearest point on the mainland. The Signature Bridge will give all-weather road access to the island.

3. Sudarshan Setu lets worshipers to access the famed Dwarkadhish temple of Lord Krishna in Beyt Dwarka at any time, which was previously only feasible during the day by boat. 

4. The bridge is upheld by 32 piers, sustaining seven cable-stayed spans each measuring 900 meters in length. Termed as the navigation section, this segment facilitates the passage of fishing boats to and from the Dalda Bandar harbor.

5. In addition to its 27-meter-wide carriageway, the bridge features walkways on both sides, adorned with verses from the Bhagavad Gita and depictions of Krishna on its pillars. Solar panels serve as the roofing for these walkways.