Krishnanagar, Nov. 13: Vehicular movement across Nadia, East Burdwan, Hooghly, and Murshidabad districts is set to face a major disruption for about 45 days, beginning this Friday, as the state Public Works Department (PWD) initiates a crucial maintenance drive on the 50-year-old Gouranga Setu over the Bhagirathi river.
The arterial bridge, a vital link between NH12 and the Delhi Road and part of the Krishnanagar–Nabadwip Dham Road (State Highway 8), will undergo the replacement of 28 worn-out metallic bearings. This major repair is necessary following repeated structural snags and traffic suspensions in recent years.
Traffic Restrictions and Schedule
Acting on PWD instructions, the Nadia District Magistrate (DM), Aneesh Dasgupta, has issued a notification imposing strict traffic restrictions.
| Closure Type | Time / Date | Permitted Vehicles | Notes |
| Complete Closure | 6 pm to 6 am on Nov 15, 16, 27, and Dec 8, 19, 30. | None allowed. | Major work will be undertaken at night. |
| Partial Closure | 6 am to 6 pm from Nov 16 to Dec 31. | Vehicles up to 3 metric tonnes and 2.25 metres in height. | Max speed limit: 5 km/h. |
DM Dasgupta stated, “Gouranga Setu is about fifty years old and it requires replacement of 28 bearings. So, to enable the work to be executed by the State PWD, vehicular movement on the bridge has been restricted, either partially or completely, based on the specific work schedule.”
Diversion Routes and Impact
- Diversion: Vehicles traveling towards Murshidabad and North Bengal from the opposite side of the Hooghly/Bhagirathi river, or from the Delhi Road and Durgapur Expressway, will be diverted towards Vivekananda Setu or Ishwar Gupta Setu via the Kalyani Expressway, connecting to NH12.
- Signage: Superintendent of Police, Krishnanagar Police District, Amarnath K., confirmed, “We will put sufficient signages at different important locations to draw the attention of motorists to avoid any trouble.”
- Commuter Impact: Bus services over the bridge will be suspended, causing significant hardship for daily commuters between Nabadwip, Krishnanagar, and the adjoining Purbasthali block in East Burdwan.
Bridge Details and History
The 569-metre-long structure is technically an “over-hanged balance cantilever beam” structure, resting on six piers (one approach pier on each bank and four riverbed piers).
- Inauguration: June 17, 1973, by former urban development minister Bhola Nath Sen.
- Recent Snags: Since 2016, the bridge has suffered repeated structural issues. In 2016, two main piers were dislocated due to embankment erosion. In 2021, expansion joints on its six-metre-wide suspended spans dislocated by over an inch. These events highlighted the persistent weakness in its bearings, necessitating the current repairs.
Call for a New Bridge
Local residents have called upon the government to construct a new alternative bridge, citing the heavy pressure on the two-lane Gouranga Setu over the last five decades. They pointed to the construction of the Ishwar Gupta Setu as a precedent. However, a senior PWD engineer clarified that no such proposal for a new bridge is currently under consideration.