For better connectivity: Five more bridges in the Sunderbans

The state government will be constructing five more bridges in the Sunderbans to improve connectivity between different islands in the region.

Manturam Pakhira, Sunderban Affairs minister, said in reply to a question in the state Assembly on Thursday: "There are plans to construct five more bridges in the Sunderbans to connect the islands. It is expected that the projects will be taken up and the construction of the bridges will be completed in the next five years."

It may be mentioned that several steps were taken to improve the road connectivity in the Sunderban areas after the change of guard in the state. The Sunderban Affairs department had carried out detailed study to identify the infrastructure that need to be developed to improve connectivity in the region where lakhs of people visit every year.

At the same time, the initiatives are helping the locals as earlier they had to toil a lot to reach hospitals and other essential places.

In connection with the construction of Gadkhali-Gosaba Bridge, Pakhira said: "All clearances for construction of the bridge have been received. The land buying process has started for construction of the bridge that would come up at a cost of Rs 285 crore and it is going on. The construction of the bridge will be completed in four years."

With construction of the bridge, people, who visit places for their regular needs, can easily reach to the interiors of the Sunderbans by roads. It will also boost the tourism sector of the area as visitors will not have to change their modes of transport to visit different places in the Sunderbans.

The initiative is also going to ensure a facelift of the area and it will also improve its economy.

Several initiatives were taken for an overall development of the area and condition of roads and other infrastructure has improved compared to that of the erstwhile Left Front government.