Howrah Bridge in Kolkata is set to receive a dynamic architectural lighting system that could allow residents to project personal greetings for birthdays, anniversaries and weddings on the historic structure, according to the Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, which manages the bridge.
The planned feature will add personalised messages to an illumination project already developed for Rabindra Setu, the official name of the bridge. The cost of displaying such advertisements or greetings has not yet been decided.
The project has been undertaken under the guidance of the Union Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways. It uses 3,825 luminaires with a total installed capacity of 385 kilowatts, designed to illuminate the bridge’s structural profile, skeletal surfaces, crowns and main pylons.
The lighting system will support dynamic shows with synchronised sound. According to the port authorities, these shows will be presented during important national occasions and festivals, including Independence Day, Republic Day, Gandhi Jayanti, Durga Puja, Diwali and Holi. The stated aim is to create a renewed visual identity for one of Kolkata’s most recognisable landmarks.
The authorities also said that the dynamic light shows and synchronised sound will be broadcast live to the public through a dedicated mobile application. This is intended to provide residents and tourists with access to the spectacle beyond those viewing the bridge directly from the city’s roads, riverfront and surrounding areas.
The lighting project is valued at Rs 22.35 crore. It has been executed by M/s MM Brothers, with lighting support from M/s Havells Lighting and Jadavpur University serving as the technical consultant.
Rathendra Raman, chairman of Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, said the illumination was intended to celebrate the bridge’s heritage significance. “The illumination of Rabindra Setu is not just lighting of a bridge, it is lighting up the legacy of Kolkata,” he said in a statement. He described Howrah Bridge as an emotion for the people of Kolkata and the nation, adding that the system would enhance its heritage grandeur and offer a visual experience for citizens and tourists.
The plan places Howrah Bridge in the growing global practice of using landmark structures as illuminated public displays. The port’s proposal compares the planned personalised messages with displays associated with New York’s Times Square and Dubai’s Burj Khalifa, while retaining the bridge’s role as a major transport link and heritage structure.
Howrah Bridge, also known as Rabindra Setu, is maintained by the port authority as part of its custodianship of the iconic crossing. The project’s next operational details, including the pricing and process for booking personal messages, are yet to be announced.
