Mamata Banerjee on Monday laid the foundation stone for a four-lane bridge over the river Muriganga to connect Sagar Island with the mainland of West Bengal. The proposed bridge, spanning around 5 km, will link Lot 8 in Kakdwip with Kachuberia on Sagar Island, the largest island in the Sundarbans archipelago. The project is estimated to cost Rs 16.7 billion and is expected to be completed within two to three years. The construction contract has been awarded to Larsen & Toubro. Banerjee said the state government decided to undertake the project after repeated requests to the Union government for assistance did not elicit a response. Sagar Island hosts the annual Gangasagar Mela during Makar Sankranti, attracting hundreds of thousands of pilgrims from across India and abroad. It is believed that the river Ganga meets the Bay of Bengal near the Kapil Muni Temple on the island. The Chief Minister said the bridge would significantly improve connectivity, boost business and commerce, and ease travel for pilgrims visiting the fair. Addressing a public gathering, Banerjee said the project reflects the state government’s commitment to development in remote regions, including the Sundarbans. She highlighted that since her government assumed office in 2011, 37 small, medium and large bridges have been built in South 24 Parganas, improving access to coastal destinations such as Bakkhali through bridges over the Hatania and Dowania rivers. The Chief Minister added that electricity has now reached Sagar Island and that the Sundarbans Police District was established during her tenure. She also noted that while central funding was provided for the Kumbh Mela, no grant had been given for the Gangasagar Mela. During her visit to Bharat Sevashram Sangh on Sagar Island, Banerjee announced compensation for the families of any common citizen or government employee who dies during the Gangasagar Mela. She also recalled that the state government had withdrawn the tax earlier levied on pilgrims visiting the fair.