Prayagraj Ring Road’s Second-Phase Ganga Bridge to Feature 2.1-km Cable-Stayed Stretch, Segment Work From June

A major infrastructure project under the second phase of Prayagraj's Ring Road is taking shape, with a unique six-lane bridge over the Ganga set to become one of the city's standout engineering landmarks. The under-construction bridge between Nibi Kala, Chhatnag and Saraswati Hitech City in Naini will include a 2,100-metre-long cable-stayed section within its total 3,100-metre length, making it the first such long cable bridge in the stretch.

2.1-km cable bridge to be built on six-lane Ring Road stretch

According to project details, the six-lane bridge being constructed under the Ring Road's second phase will be especially significant because of its long cable-stayed design. Of the total 3,100 metres, the bridge will have a 2,100-metre cable bridge portion, where cables will be installed at 150-metre intervals.

Officials say this will be much longer than the cable-supported section on the six-lane bridge being built over the Ganga between Malak Harhar and Stanley Road. On that bridge, cables have been installed only across an 800-metre stretch, with spacing of 200 metres. In contrast, the Ring Road bridge will have 14 cables, each placed at 150-metre intervals, making it structurally more prominent.

The bridge is being built on a total of 80 pillars, and authorities expect the pillar construction work to be completed by May.

Pillar work 90% complete, segment and superstructure placement from June

Construction activity is progressing rapidly at the site. Departmental officials said that once the pillars are completed, work on placing segments and the superstructure will begin from June.

Segments for the bridge are currently being manufactured near Saraswati Hitech City.

National Highways Authority contractor SP Soni said, "Pillar construction work has been completed up to 90 per cent." He further added, "Work on the cable bridge section of the six-lane bridge will begin from July."

This timeline indicates that the project will move into a more visible construction phase in the coming months as the superstructure begins to rise above the completed supports.

161-year-old Old Yamuna Bridge to glow with decorative lighting after sunset

In another important civic development for Prayagraj, the Old Yamuna Bridge, also known as the old Naini bridge, is set to be illuminated with bright white lighting after sunset. Vehicles travelling across the historic bridge will soon pass through a fully lit corridor instead of the darkness that has persisted for decades.

The 161-year-old bridge will receive lights from the Municipal Corporation after it obtained permission from the Railways. This will be the first time the bridge is being permanently lit.

Until now, vehicles using the bridge after sunset have had to move in poorly lit conditions. There had been a long-standing demand to install lights on both vehicle tracks of the bridge, and the demand had intensified over the past year.

Responding to public demand, Mayor Umesh Chandra Ganesh Kesarwani had directed the Municipal Corporation's electricity department to hold talks with railway officials regarding the installation of lights. The Railways later gave oral approval for the project.

The Municipal Corporation initially installed a few lights on the bridge as part of a trial. After the test was successful, it decided to proceed with permanent lighting. A tender has also been floated for the installation work.

Earlier, all kinds of vehicles used this bridge, but after the construction of the new Yamuna Bridge in 2004, the movement of heavy vehicles on the old Yamuna bridge was stopped.

MLA Harshvardhan seeks new two-lane bridge parallel to Phaphamau bridge

Meanwhile, MLA Harshvardhan Bajpai has written to the Principal Secretary of the Public Works Department, demanding the construction of a two-lane bridge parallel to the Phaphamau bridge.

The MLA said traffic congestion remains a serious issue because the roads on both sides of the Phaphamau bridge are already four-lane, but the bridge itself creates a bottleneck.

He argued that the mismatch in road width often leads to traffic jams on the bridge and said a new bridge is now essential to ease congestion and improve connectivity in the area.