Sudarshan Setu

Approval for the construction of the bridge was given by Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari in 2016. Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of the bridge between Okha and Beyt Dwarka on 7 October 2017. It was constructed at the cost of ₹979 crore (US$120 million).

The bridge serves about 8500 people living on the island as well as about two million pilgrims visiting the temples there. It was inaugurated on 25 February 2024 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Architectural features

Sudarshan Setu is a cable-stayed bridge, with cables in a fan arrangement, built using steel pylons. The deck is made of composite steel-reinforced concrete with two carriageways. The total width of the bridge is 27.2 metres (89 ft), with two lanes in each direction and 2.5 metres (8 ft)-wide footpath on each side. The solar panels atop footpath shade have capacity of 1 MW.

With a total length of 2,320 metres (7,612 ft), the cable bridge has a 900 metres (2,953 ft) long central cable section, making it the longest cable stayed bridge in India. It has three spans with 500-metre-long middle span, the longest in India. The other 3 spans on either side have length of 100 metre and 2 span 50m each. The approaches bridge on Okha and Beyt Dwarka sides have length of 770 metre and 650 metre respectively. Two A-shaped composite

pylons supporting the bridge are 129.985 metre tall and radius of 300m leaning in back span up to 22m from centre of pylon. The total length of the road is 2.8 kilometres (9,186 ft).

What we know about Sudarshan Setu in Gujarat: –

• The Sudarshan Setu, connecting the Okha mainland with Beyt Dwarka island, is expected to enhance connectivity in the region.
• The Sudarshan Setu is India’s longest cable-stayed bridge, with solar panels installed on the upper portions of the footpath, generating one megawatt of electricity.
• The four-lane bridge has 2.50-metre-wide footpaths on each side.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation for the bridge in October 2017.
• The Sudarshan Setu was built at a cost of ₹978 crore.
• The Sudarshan Setu features a footpath adorned with verses from the Bhagavad Gita and images of Lord Krishna on both sides.
• Before the construction of the Okha-Beyt Dwarka Signature Bridge, pilgrims had to rely on boat transport to reach the Dwarkadhish Temple in Beyt, Dwarka.
• The Okha-Beyt Dwarka Signature Bridge will also serve as a place of tourist attraction.
• Apart from the Sudarshan Setu, PM Modi will inaugurate Gujarat’s first All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Rajkot on Sunday. This will be one of the five AIIMS to be inaugurated by the prime minister from Rajkot.
• The prime minister will also inaugurate and perform ground-breaking for projects of ₹48,000 crore of different state and central departments, such as NHAI, railways, energy and petrochemicals, roads and buildings.