Kolkata Port to execute Rs 117.54 cr renovation of Bascule Bridge

Kolkata: Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, Kolkata (SMPK) has launched a major renovation of the historic Bascule Bridge at the Kolkata Dock System, undertaking a Rs 117.54 crore project aimed at ensuring safer and faster cargo movement through the city’s riverine gateway.

Built in 1966 by Austrian engineering firm Waagner-Biro Bridge Systems AG, the double-leaf rolling bridge is a critical link between the Garden Reach–Metiabruz belt and the rest of Kolkata. The structure opens to allow cargo vessels to pass between Kidderpore Dock I and Dock II, and closes to facilitate the movement of heavy commercial vehicles and daily commuters.

After nearly six decades of service, officials said a comprehensive overhaul had become essential to maintain structural stability and mechanical efficiency. To execute the project, SMPK has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL). Following a competitive bidding process, the contract was awarded in September 2025 to Mumbai-based M/s H & H Fressinet.

According to Port statement, The renovation will include a complete upgrade of the bridge’s 1,640-tonne steel superstructure along with modernisation of its electro-mechanical systems, including hydraulic gears and rack-and-pinion mechanisms that control its rolling movement.

The Union Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways has sanctioned Rs 40 crore for the project under the Sagarmala Scheme, recognising its strategic importance for eastern India’s trade network.

SMPK Chairperson Rathendra Raman said the bridge is a cornerstone of the port’s logistics chain and that the upgrade would enhance operational safety while reducing turnaround time for vessels and road traffic. The project is scheduled for completion by May 2027.