The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways has approved a Rs 1,175.4 million project to renovate the historic bascule bridge at the Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port in Kolkata, aiming to improve safety and operational efficiency at the Kolkata Dock System.
The nearly six-decade-old double-leaf bascule bridge, originally built by Wagner-Biro Bridge Systems AG, will undergo structural strengthening and major electro-mechanical upgrades to enhance reliability and operational safety.
Around Rs 410 million of the project cost will be funded under the Sagarmala Programme, the government’s flagship initiative for port-led development. The work will be implemented by Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) and executed by Mumbai-based H & H Fressinet. Once completed, the upgraded bridge is expected to facilitate smoother cargo and vehicle movement within the port, strengthening logistics operations at one of India’s oldest and busiest ports.