Ahmedabad, Dec 19 (IANS) Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, on Friday, approved the construction of a new bridge over the Sabarmati river at Rinza village in Anand district, officials said.

The bridge will be built at an estimated cost of Rs 110 crore.

The decision is expected to bring permanent relief to residents of Rinza, Nabhoi, Pachegam and Dugari villages, who have for several years faced severe connectivity problems during the monsoon.

Due to frequent changes in the Sabarmati river’s course, villagers are often cut off from the opposite bank during the rainy season, disrupting daily life, agricultural activities and access to essential services.

Taking a sensitive and people-centric approach, Chief Minister Patel acted on representations made by local residents and approved the construction of a two-lane bridge along with a new four km approach road.

The sanctioned amount of Rs 110 crore includes the cost of land acquisition, pre-construction activities such as hydraulic surveys, soil investigation, detailed designing, and the execution of the bridge and road infrastructure.

Officials said the project is designed to ensure all-weather connectivity for the affected villages, which currently remain isolated during periods of high river flow.

Once completed, the bridge is expected to significantly improve vehicular movement, facilitate agricultural and allied economic activities, and enhance ease of living for local residents.

Gujarat has one of the most extensive and modern bridge infrastructures in India, built to support heavy industrial traffic, urban expansion, and rural connectivity across rivers, creeks, and coastal belts.

The state has thousands of bridges and structures, ranging from small rural bridges to mega river crossings and sea links, spanning major rivers such as the Narmada, Tapi, Sabarmati, Mahi, and Periyar tributaries.

Landmark projects include long-span bridges like the Golden Bridge at Bharuch, Sardar Bridge, Atal Bridge in Ahmedabad, and multi-lane river crossings on national and state highways.

Gujarat’s bridge infrastructure is characterised by wide carriageways, high load-bearing capacity, modern cable-stayed and prestressed concrete designs, and integration with expressways, dedicated freight corridors, ports, and industrial corridors.

–IANS

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