Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port Authority, Kolkata (SMPK) has initiated a Rs 1,175.4 million modernisation project to refurbish the iconic Bascule Bridge at the Kolkata Dock System, aiming to improve cargo evacuation and strengthen port infrastructure. The project focuses on upgrading the 1,640-tonne steel structure and its ageing electro-mechanical systems, including hydraulic gears and rack-and-pinion mechanisms, which have been in operation since the bridge was built in 1966.
The double-leaf rolling bridge links the Garden Reach-Metiabruz area with Kolkata and serves as a critical route for port traffic, opening for vessel movement between Kidderpore Dock-I and Dock-II and closing for heavy commercial vehicles and commuter traffic.
Execution of the project has been entrusted to Rail Vikas Nigam Limited and awarded to Mumbai-based M/s H & H Fressinet following competitive bidding. The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways has sanctioned Rs 400 million under the Sagarmala Scheme, underscoring the project’s strategic importance. Completion of the project is targeted by May 2027.