Vidyasagar Setu – This Cable-Stayed Bridge Can Carry More Than Eighty Five Thousand Vehicles Every Day

VIDYASAGAR SETU

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HOOGLY

Vidyasagar Setu, which is famously called Second Hooghly Bridge is located over the River Hooghly in Kolkata. Vidyasagar Setu is reckoned as one of the longest bridges of its type across India. It is also acknowledged as one of the longest bridges of Asia.

The bridge connects the twin cities of Howrah and Kolkata. With a length of 822.96 m, the Vidyasagar Setu is the longest cable-stayed bridge across the country. 

The bridge was built under the joint initiative of the private firms and Public Sector Undertakings, working under the supervision of the Hooghly River Bridge Commissioners. Vidyasagar Setu was built at an expense of Rs 388 crores. The bridge has been named after Pandit Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, the educationist reformer of Bengal in the 19th century.

The building process of the bridge was initiated in 1978 and it was eventually opened to public on the 10th of October, 1992.The bridge carries the NH 117, also known as the Kona Expressway. The cable – stayed bridge has a main span of 457 m and 35m wide. With six lanes of traffic, the bridge can carry more than 85,000 vehicles every day.

Vidyasagar Setu has been named after the great erudite and reformer Pandit Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar. The foundation stone of the Vidyasagar Setu was laid by Indira Gandhi on May 20, 1972. Vidyasagar Setu is a cable-stayed flyover with 121 cables, styled in fan arrangement.

The bridge with a total width of 35 meters, features three lanes in each directions and a 1.2 meters wide footpath on each side.Vidyasagar Setu was subjected to prototype wind tunnel tests at the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore.

Hoogly Imambara – It Has The Second Biggest Clock Tower In The World Next Only To Big Ben In London

IMAMBARA

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HOOGLY

It is located in the hoogly district and state of west Bengal and it is a mosque cum imambara. One of the biggest attractions of the area is undoubtedly the huge Shia Imambara built by Haji Muhammud Moshin in late 19^thcentury.

 Imambara literally means the home of the Imams who are the revered heads of the Shia Muslims and also denotes the assembly hall for gathering during religious occasions like Muharram.

 The Hooghly Imambara consists of many attractive features including a mosque, a monument and the Ghorighor or the clock tower. The mosque and the saraikhanas or inns for weary travelers were built of Italian marble.

The walls of the mosque are beautifully engraved with lines from the Holy Quran. Stepping foot inside the mosque one is truck by the pretty chandeliers made of delicate Belgian glass and stained glass windows that reflect the sunlight.

The calligraphic inscriptions on the walls create an ambience of reverence and awe. The Imambara has a madrassa as well where you can find dedicated young pupils engaged in their studies of the Holy Quran. Haji Muhammud Moshin was a philanthropist who donated money not only for the construction of the mosque but also for a hospital and college.

The mosque and the madrassa are not the only attractions. The Ghorighor or the clock tower is located opposite the main building. The sundial and the huge clock built by Black & Murray, London are magnificent to look at.

 If you can climb up 152 stairs to reach the top of the clock tower you will be amply rewarded by the view of three enormous iron bells and a room full of intricate machinery. It is fascinating to watch the technology.

 The magnificent view of the Imambara juxtaposed over a panoramic view of the river Ganga is simply from another world.

The walls are decorated with texts from Holy Koran and the interior is enriched with marbles, candle and lanterns. The mosque is situated north of the building and in the south there are graves of Mohammad Mohsin and his relatives.

By Air

Nethaji subash Chandra bose airport is an international one and excellent connectivity to many places across the country.

By Train

Hoogly station is well connected to the city of Howrah as well.

By Bus

Hoogly district has good road connectivity and the transport options include buses, trains and taxis.