Visakhapatnam’s sky-walk glass bridge set to open soon
Visakhapatnam’s much-awaited sky-walk glass bridge at Kailasagiri, near the Titanic viewpoint, is expected to open next week or later this month once final works are completed.
Touted as the longest hanging glass bridge in India, the structure is awaiting its load test and an illumination trial that will light it up in the colours of the national flag.
The bridge is built entirely with imported German glass and steel. It stands 862 feet above the ground and 1,000 feet above sea level, offering sweeping views of the Bay of Bengal on one side and the city and Eastern Ghats on the other.
The project was executed by SSM Shipping & Logistics, Visakhapatnam, under a public-private partnership (PPP). Bharat Mata Ventures of Kerala, the team behind the Vagamon Glass Bridge, provided technical support. The Visakhapatnam Metropolitan Region Development Authority (VMRDA) is the government partner.
“Expert engineers will conduct the load test on Sunday (September 7) or Monday (September 8). We can finish the pending works in a few days. With a 55-metre glass span, it is the longest hanging glass bridge in India. Vagamon’s is 38 metres,” said Rajesh Bathina, Managing Director of SSM Shipping & Logistics.
The Rs 7-crore structure uses three layers of tempered laminated glass, each 40 mm thick, supported by 40 tonnes of steel. It can handle 500 kg per square metre, enough for more than 100 people on the end deck. Designed to withstand winds up to 250 kmph, the bridge also factors in lessons from Cyclone Hudhud.
For safety, only 40 visitors will be allowed at a time, with each batch given 5–10 minutes. Tickets are expected to cost between Rs 250 and Rs 300, compared with Rs 500 at Vagamon.
“This sky-walk will be a new symbol of Indian tourism. We are confident it will draw national and international visitors and place Visakhapatnam on the world tourism map. While the inauguration date is yet to be confirmed, we are aiming for next week,” said VMRDA Commissioner K.S. Viswanathan.