'Sudarshan Setu' Bridge

About 'Sudarshan Setu' Bridge:

• It is India’s longest cable-stayed bridge, at 2.32 km, on the Arabian Sea, connecting Beyt Dwarka island to mainland Okha in Gujarat's Devbhumi Dwarka district.
• It boasts a unique design, featuring a footpath adorned with verses from the Bhagavad Gita and images of Lord Krishna on both sides.
• It also has solar panels installed on the upper portions of the footpath, generating one megawatt of electricity.
• The 2.32 km bridge, including 900 metres of a central double-span cable-stayed portion and a 2.45 km long approach road, has been constructed at a cost of Rs 979 crore.

Key Facts about Beyt Dwarka:

• Beyt Island (also called Bet Dwarka or Shankodhar) is a small island off the coast of Dwarka, Gujarat.
• Located at the mouth of the Gulf of Kutch, the island is enclosed by a few temples, white sand beaches, and coral reefs.
• History:
  • It is believed to be the home of Lord Krishna when he was the king of Dwarka. 
  • It derives its name from the word ‘bet’, which translates to ‘gift’, and it is believed that Lord Krishna received it from his friend Sudama.
  • Explorations and excavations carried out under the sea have revealed the presence of settlements whose age can be traced back to the era of the Harappan civilisation and that of the Mauryan rule.
  • In the later years, the region was under the administration of the Gaekwad clan of the state of Baroda.
• Shri Keshavraj Ji Temple:
  • It is a Lord Krishna temple located on the island. It is an important site for Hindu pilgrimage.
  • The temple is 500 years old and was built by Vallabhacharya.