Mahatma Gandhi Setu is the second longest river bridge in India, the first one being Bhupen Hazarika Setu (a.k.a. Dhola-Sadiya Bridge) in Assam. The Mahatma Gandhi Setu in Bihar extends over the Ganges for 5.7 kilometres. Named after the father of the nation, the bridge connects the capital city of Patna in the south to Hajipur in the north. The bridge has four lanes of roadways and pedestrian pathways on each side, it is an indispensable part of the daily vehicular transport. Earlier, there used to be toll gates, but the Government has revoked that. It provides some spectacular views of the sacred Ganga flowing underneath.
Currently, the National Highway 19 operates through it. The government has scheduled the building of two Pontoon bridges (floating bridges) parallel to it to curb traffic, which has drastically increased over the years. Before the erection of the bridge, people from this region travelled to Patna and Hajipur respectively by ferries or boats. Although congestion and traffic problems are present on the Mahatma Gandhi Setu, its significance cannot be contradicted.
