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{{short description|Bridge in India}}
{{Infobox bridge|bridge_name=Atal Setu|native_name= | named_for = PM [[Atal Bihari Vajpayee]]|native_name_lang=|image=Atal Setu Goa.jpg|image_size=300px|alt=|caption=|coordinates={{Coord|15.5026534|73.83713255|format=dms|type:landmark_region:IN|display=inline,title}}|carries=4 lanes of [[National Highway 66 (India)|NH 66]]|crosses=[[Mandovi River]]|locale=[[Panaji]], [[Goa]], [[India]]|official_name=Atal Setu|other_name=Third Mandovi Bridge|owner=|maint=Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (GSIDC)|heritage=|id=|website=|preceded=|followed=|design=[[Cable-stayed bridge]]|material=[[Steel]] and [[concrete]] pylons|length={{convert|3190|m|ft}}|width={{convert|21|m|ft}}<ref name="Design and Construction of Bridge across river Mandovi at Panaji including approaches on NH 17 between Pundalik Nagar Junction (Porvorim) and Merces Junction">{{cite news|url=http://www.gsidcltd.com/project/design-and-construction-of-bridge-across-river-mandovi-at-panaji-including-approaches-on-nh-17-between-pundalik-nagar-junction-porvorim-and-merces-junction |title=Mandovi Bridge|work=GSIDC|date=2 November 2017|access-date=30 December 2017}}</ref>|height={{convert|30|m|ft}}|mainspan={{convert|150|m|ft}}|spans=|pierswater=4|load=|clearance=|below=|life=|architect=|designer=|engineering=|builder=[[Larsen & Toubro]] (L&T), DSI-Bridgecon|fabricator=|begin=27 July 2014|complete= December 2019|cost=|open=5 February 2019|inaugurated=27 January 2019|collapsed=|closed=|replaces=|traffic=|toll=|map_caption=|map_image=|map_width=|map_alt=|map_cue=|map_text=}}

The '''Atal Setu''' (also known as the '''Third Mandovi Bridge''' or '''Atal Bridge''') is a [[cable-stayed bridge]] in [[Goa]] that runs between [[Panaji]] and [[Porvorim]]. It carries National Highway 66 ([[National Highway 66 (India)|NH 66]]) over the tidal part of the [[Mandovi River]]. It is {{convert|5.1|km|mi}} long, making it the third longest cable-stayed bridge in India. Two wheelers, three wheelers and [[bullock carts]] are prohibited from using the Atal Setu<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|title=Last segment of river portion of Mandovi bridge joined|language=en|work=oHeraldo|url=https://www.heraldgoa.in/Goa-News/Last-segment-of-river-portion-of-Mandovi-bridge-joined/132071.html|access-date=2018-07-04}}</ref> due to its height of {{convert|30|m|ft}}. It officially opened on 5 February 2019.

== History ==
The Atal Setu is one of the most famous and longest bridges in Goa. It is the third bridge to be built over the Mandovi River. Before the First Mandovi Bridge was built, the ferry was the main mode of transport across the Mandovi River in the 1970s, between Panaji and [[Betim]] village. Due to heavy traffic, the first bridge was built in the 1970s. In 1986 the first bridge collapsed and was rebuilt. The second bridge was constructed in 1998 to accommodate heavy transport vehicles. Construction began on the third bridge in 2014. The reason for the third cable-stayed bridge is to accommodate heavy traffic, especially during the peak year-end tourist season.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/new-bridges-necessary-to-handle-year-end-tourist-traffic-says-cm/articleshow/62273768.cms|title=New bridges necessary to handle year-end tourist traffic, says CM - Times of India|work=The Times of India|access-date=2018-01-01}}</ref> The bridge was inaugurated on 27 January 2019.

== Construction ==
On 14 June 2014, [[Prime Minister of India|Indian Prime Minister]] [[Narendra Modi]] laid the foundation stone for the third Mandovi bridge. The bridge was completed on 27 January 2019 and inaugurated by the [[Ministry of Road Transport and Highways|Central Minister for Road Transport and Highways]] [[Nitin Gadkari]]; and later by Goa Chief Minister [[Manohar Parrikar]] in the presence of former deputy Chief Minister of Goa [[Sudin Dhavalikar]], who was the State Minister for Roads at the time. This bridge was named Atal Setu after former Prime Minister [[Atal Bihari Vajpayee]]. On 5 February, the bridge was opened for vehicular traffic.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/vehicles-on-atal-setu-only-from-tomorrow/articleshow/67823804.cms|title=Vehicles on Atal Setu only from February 5 - Times of India|website=The Times of India|access-date=2019-02-05}}</ref>
[[File:Atal setu goa.jpg|left|thumb|212x212px|The bridges pylon's measure up to 70 meters in height.|alt=]]
[[Larsen & Toubro|Larsen and Toubro]] (L&T) were awarded the [[Engineering, procurement, and construction|EPC]] contract at a bid of ₹ 403.00 crore to build and design the bridge.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.heraldgoa.in/Goa/GSIDC-to-build-bridge-across-Ourem-creek-/100689.html|title=GSIDC to build bridge across Ourem creek|work=oHeraldo|access-date=2018-01-01|language=en}}</ref> It is a cable-stayed bridge constructed between the first and second parallel bridges and is 15 meters higher than the existing two bridges. This is Goa's longest bridge and India's third longest cable-stayed bridge.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.goaprism.com/third-mandovi-bridge-goas-biggest-bridge-in-making/|title="THIRD MANDOVI BRIDGE" Goa’s biggest bridge in Making|date=2015-03-13|access-date=2017-12-30|language=en}}</ref> The bridge is a 900 m four lane bridge with a 550 m cable stay portion and a 3.2 km viaduct approach.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.lntecc.com/homepage/common/p168.htm|title=Larsen &Toubro Limited|website=www.lntecc.com|access-date=2017-12-30}}</ref> The main bridge is 600 m in length with two end spans of 75 m and three interior spans of 150 m. The main bridge superstructure consists of a 21 m wide externally strutted segmented concrete box girder with a dual carriageway of 2 x 8.5 m with a 3 m wide median at the centre. The [[box girder]] is supported by stay cables anchored in the pylon and stressed from a box girder bottom. Another flyover arising from the Merces-[[Old Goa]] bypass road joins the Mandovi bridge for traffic from [[Ponda, Goa|Ponda]] towards [[Panjim]].

The revised cost of construction of the bridge was ₹ 550 [[crore]] and the cost could increase by ₹ 50 crore.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.navhindtimes.in/no-major-rise-in-cost-of-third-mandovi-bridge-project-cm/|title=No major rise in cost of third Mandovi bridge project: CM|work=[[The Navhind Times]]|language=en-US|access-date=2017-12-30}}</ref> The Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation (GSIDC) said that almost 10 crore litres of water was saved while building the bridge.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/10cr-litre-water-saved-while-building-cable-stayed-mandovi-bridge-gsidc/articleshow/67680014.cms|title=10 crore litre water saved while building cable-stayed Mandovi bridge: GSIDC - Times of India|website=The Times of India|access-date=2019-01-26}}</ref>

=== Finance ===
During the laying of the foundation stone, the [[Government of Goa]] claimed that the bridge would be funded independently. The loan agreement was signed on 8 June 2015 between the [[National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development]] (NABARD) and the nodal agency, who granted a loan amount of ₹ 462.60 crores. The original cost was estimated to be ₹470 crores, that has risen to ₹860 crores. With a re-payment period of 12 years, the government is supposed to pay an interest of ₹48 crores annually for the loan. The total amount to be repaid to NABARD by the end of June 2027, therefore, stands at ₹ 866.44 crore. The bridge is the most expensive in Goan history.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://englishnews.thegoan.net/story.php?id=18424|title=New Mandovi bridge to cost almost double|work=The Goan|access-date=2018-01-02}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://businessgoa.in/2016/11/14/a-bridge-too-far/|title=A bridge too far – Business Goa|website=businessgoa.in|language=en-US|access-date=2018-01-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180103072436/http://businessgoa.in/2016/11/14/a-bridge-too-far/|archive-date=2018-01-03|url-status=dead}}</ref> On 20 March 2018, the Union [[Ministry of Road Transport and Highways|Minister for Road Transport & Highways]], [[Nitin Gadkari]], said that the central government would bear 50 percent of the bridge's cost, which is ₹400 crores and an additional ₹50 crores for the road connecting the bridge.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/new-mandovi-bridge-centre-to-pay-rs-400cr/articleshow/63388716.cms|title=New Mandovi bridge: Centre to pay Rs 400 crore - Times of India|work=The Times of India|access-date=2018-04-24}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.navhindtimes.in/more-funds-sanctioned-for-third-mandovi-bridge-gadkari/|title=More funds sanctioned for third Mandovi bridge: Gadkari {{!}} The Navhind Times|website=www.navhindtimes.in|language=en-US|access-date=2018-04-24}}</ref>

== Incidents ==
On 26 December 2016, a worker died on the construction site after suffering from 90 percent burns after a fire broke out in an 8 meter deep vertical tunnel of the under construction bridge pillar.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.heraldgoa.in/Goa/Man-burnt-to-death-at-third-Mandovi-bridge-site/109865.html|title=Man burnt to death at third Mandovi bridge site|work=oHeraldo|access-date=2018-01-01|language=en}}</ref> On 30 December 2017, a fire broke out on an under construction pier supporting the cable-stayed bridge; however, there were no casualties and the situation was brought under control.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/fire-breaks-out-atop-pier-of-3rd-mandovi-bridge-no-casualties/articleshow/62301253.cms|title=Fire breaks out atop pier of 3rd Mandovi bridge, no casualties - Times of India|work=The Times of India|access-date=2018-01-01}}</ref>

== Traffic ==

Mandovi Bridge is one of the most heavily used bridges in Goa. According to GSIDC sources, almost 66,000 vehicles travel over the bridge every day.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/Work-on-new-Mandovi-bridge-from-this-month/articleshow/41374008.cms|title=Work on new Mandovi bridge from this month - Times of India|work=The Times of India|access-date=2017-12-30}}</ref>

Due to high wind speeds, GSIDC announced that two-wheelers and three-wheelers are prohibited from using Atal Setu.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/no-2-3-wheelers-on-3rd-mandovi-bridge/articleshow/67495431.cms|title=No two and three-wheelers on third Mandovi bridge - Times of India|website=The Times of India|access-date=2019-01-16}}</ref>

== Criticism ==
=== Environmental issues ===
The construction of the third bridge was challenged by the Goa Foundation, who alleged that it is being constructed without an Environment Clearance. It also challenged the destruction of some 247 [[mangrove]] trees for constructing ramps to access the bridge.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.heraldgoa.in/Goa/NGT-relief-to-govt-on-third-Mandovi-bridge-continues/93235.html|title=NGT relief to govt on third Mandovi bridge continues|work=oHeraldo|access-date=2018-01-01|language=en}}</ref> According to the Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation's Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) report as requested by [[National Green Tribunal Act|National Green Tribunal]], the construction of the bridge would destroy mangroves and impact marine ecology.

The EIA stated that there would be no loss to flora and fauna. However, the mangroves will be replaced at suitable sites identified by the Forest Department, and marine ecology will be restored as stated by the EIA.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.heraldgoa.in/Goa/Mandovi-bridge-will-destroy-mangroves-to-%E2%80%98a-certain-extent%E2%80%99-EIA-report/121627.html|title=Mandovi bridge will destroy mangroves, to ‘a certain extent’: EIA report|work=oHeraldo|access-date=2017-12-31|language=en}}</ref>

== See also ==

* [[Zuari Bridge]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{commons category|Mandovi Bridge}}

[[Category:Bridges in Goa]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in North Goa district]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in South Goa district]]
[[Category:Transport in Panaji]]
[[Category:Cable-stayed bridges in India]]

Atal Setu Goa - Revision history

Delinker at 12:06, 31 July 2023