Nivedita Setu
Encyclopedia
Nivedita Setu (also called Second Vivekananda Setu) is a cable-stayed bridge
over Hooghly River that runs parallel to and around 50 m downstream of the old Vivekananda Setu
opened in 1932. The bridge is named after Sister Nivedita
, the social worker-disciple of Swami Vivekananda
.
An expressway that connects the meeting point of NH 2
with NH 6 at Dankuni
to NH 34
, NH 35
, Dum Dum Airport
and northern parts of Kolkata
passes over the bridge. The bridge is designed to carry 48,000 vehicles per day.
The main challenge was to design and construct a new bridge that did not mar the view of the old Vivekananda Setu
, did not dwarf the historically important Dakshineswar Kali Temple
which is located well within visible distance, and carry substantially higher levels of fast traffic for around half a century.
The bridge rests on deep-well foundations going down to the river bed level. It carries six lanes for high speed traffic. The carriageway is supported by 254 pre-stressed concrete girders. Cables from 14m high pylons extend additional support.
Nivedita Setu is the first bridge in the country that is a single profile cable-stayed bridge. By design, the height of the columns are lower than the tip of the Dakshineswar temple.
. The construction of the bridge started in April 2004, by the construction giant Larsen and Toubro and was opened to traffic in a record time in July 2007.
The bridge is the India's first multi-span, single-plane cable supported extra-dosed bridge; with short pylons and seven continuous spans of 110 m, totaling a length of 880 m (2,887 feet). It is 29 m wide and will be able to support 6 lanes of traffic.
Cable-stayed bridge
A cable-stayed bridge is a bridge that consists of one or more columns , with cables supporting the bridge deck....
over Hooghly River that runs parallel to and around 50 m downstream of the old Vivekananda Setu
Vivekananda Setu
Vivekananda Setu is a bridge over the Hooghly River in West Bengal, India. It links the city of Howrah, at Bally, to its twin city of Kolkata, at Dakshineswar. Built in December 1932, it is a multispan steel bridge and was built to provide road cum rail link between the Calcutta Port and its...
opened in 1932. The bridge is named after Sister Nivedita
Sister Nivedita
- A benediction to Sister Nivedita by Swami Vivekananda Sister Nivedita ; ; , born as Margaret Elizabeth Noble, was a Scots-Irish social worker, author, teacher and disciple of Swami Vivekananda. She met Vivekananda in 1895 in London and travelled to Calcutta, India in 1898...
, the social worker-disciple of Swami Vivekananda
Swami Vivekananda
Swami Vivekananda , born Narendranath Dutta , was the chief disciple of the 19th century mystic Ramakrishna Paramahansa and the founder of the Ramakrishna Math and the Ramakrishna Mission...
.
An expressway that connects the meeting point of NH 2
National Highway 2 (India)
National Highway 2 , commonly referred as Delhi-Kolkata Road is a busy Indian National Highway that runs through the states of Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, and West Bengal. It constitute a major portion of historical Grand Trunk Road along with NH 91 and NH 1 in India...
with NH 6 at Dankuni
Dankuni
Dankuni is a fast-growing industrial township near Kolkata, India. The town is part of the Hooghly District, in the state of West Bengal. It is a part of the area covered by Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority....
to NH 34
National Highway 34 (India)
National Highway 34 or NH 34 runs from Dum Dum in north Kolkata to Dalkhola , where it meets NH 31, which connects it to Siliguri, several towns in north Bengal and the North-East...
, NH 35
National Highway 35 (India)
National Highway 35 or NH 35 runs from Barasat to Petrapole on the India–Bangladesh border. It links to Benapole in Bangladesh. Earlier, the road from Dum Dum to Jessore was called Jessore Road...
, Dum Dum Airport
Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport
Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport is an airport located in Kolkata, West Bengal, India, serving the greater Kolkata metro area. The airport was originally known as Dum Dum Airport before being renamed in the honour of Subhas Chandra Bose...
and northern parts of Kolkata
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
passes over the bridge. The bridge is designed to carry 48,000 vehicles per day.
Technological wonder
Vivekananda Setu had become weak as a result of ageing and with heavy traffic even repairs became difficult. There was need for a second bridge.The main challenge was to design and construct a new bridge that did not mar the view of the old Vivekananda Setu
Vivekananda Setu
Vivekananda Setu is a bridge over the Hooghly River in West Bengal, India. It links the city of Howrah, at Bally, to its twin city of Kolkata, at Dakshineswar. Built in December 1932, it is a multispan steel bridge and was built to provide road cum rail link between the Calcutta Port and its...
, did not dwarf the historically important Dakshineswar Kali Temple
Dakshineswar Kali Temple
The Dakshineswar Kali Temple is a Hindu temple located in Dakshineswar near Kolkata. Situated on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River, the presiding deity of the temple is Bhavatarini, an aspect of Kali, meaning, 'She who liberates Her devotees from the ocean of existence i.e Saṃsāra'...
which is located well within visible distance, and carry substantially higher levels of fast traffic for around half a century.
The bridge rests on deep-well foundations going down to the river bed level. It carries six lanes for high speed traffic. The carriageway is supported by 254 pre-stressed concrete girders. Cables from 14m high pylons extend additional support.
Nivedita Setu is the first bridge in the country that is a single profile cable-stayed bridge. By design, the height of the columns are lower than the tip of the Dakshineswar temple.
Construction
This "wonder of an architecture" bridge is estimated to cost approximately Rs. 6,500 millionMillion
One million or one thousand thousand, is the natural number following 999,999 and preceding 1,000,001. The word is derived from the early Italian millione , from mille, "thousand", plus the augmentative suffix -one.In scientific notation, it is written as or just 106...
. The construction of the bridge started in April 2004, by the construction giant Larsen and Toubro and was opened to traffic in a record time in July 2007.
The bridge is the India's first multi-span, single-plane cable supported extra-dosed bridge; with short pylons and seven continuous spans of 110 m, totaling a length of 880 m (2,887 feet). It is 29 m wide and will be able to support 6 lanes of traffic.
Award
Nivedita Setu has won an Award of Excellence from the American Segmental Bridge Institute, USA.Toll
As of 2011, the toll charges for using Nivedita Setu are: Rs. 33 for light passenger vehicles, Rs. 65 for buses, Rs. 99-Rs. 183 for trucks and multi-axle vehicles.See also
- List of longest bridges in the world
- List of longest bridges above water in India