A long-awaited 785-metre-long Nasipur railway bridge over the Bhagirathi river will become operational from Wednesday linking Murshidabad to Azimganj.

The bridge, which was initially sanctioned in 2000 by then railway minister Mamata Banerjee and the foundation stone laid by her successor Lalu Prasad in 2005, will connect Azimganj railway station on the west bank of the river with Murshidabad station on the east. The project was stalled after local landowners refused to give up seven acres of land on the west bank of the Bhagirathi river.

More than 90 per cent of the construction was completed by 2016 before local landowners stalled the project because the railway board turned down their demand for railway jobs in exchange for land.

Following a two-year hiatus, work partially resumed in 2018 after the remaining land at Mahinagar village was acquired at three times the market rate.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi officially inaugurated the bridge on March 2, 2024. However, apart from trial runs, regular train
services had not started until now.

“It’s a dream come true. Our movement began in 1995, initiated by social activist A.R. Khan,” said Aminur Rahaman Sarkar, the secretary of the Murshidabad Railway Passengers’ Association.

The Congress, however, claimed that the overbridge became operational following the persistent effort of former Behrampore MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury.