Howrah Bridge

Howrah Bridge
Apoorva Karlekar · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Name	Howrah Bridge
Native name	রবীন্দ্র সেতু
Native name lang	bn
Caption	The Howrah Bridge over the Hooghly River
Carries	Road traffic, pedestrians
Crosses	Hooghly River
Locale	Howrah–Kolkata, West Bengal, India
Designer	Rendel, Palmer and Tritton
Engineering	Cleveland Bridge & Engineering Company
Begin	1936
Complete	1942
Open	3 February 1943
Coordinates	22, 35, 06, N...
Map type	India Kolkata
Length	705 m
Width	71 ft with two footpaths of 15 ft
Below	30 ft at mean high water

Howrah Bridge is a cantilever bridge with a suspended span, connecting the twin cities of Howrah and Kolkata over the Hooghly River in West Bengal, India. Officially renamed Rabindra Setu in 1965, it is one of the world's busiest cantilever bridges and an iconic symbol of the Kolkata metropolitan area. Since its opening in 1943, it has served as a vital artery for commerce and daily commute, handling immense vehicular and pedestrian traffic.

History

The need for a permanent connection across the Hooghly River was long felt to replace the unreliable pontoon bridge service. The Port Commission of Calcutta initiated plans in the early 20th century, with the project gaining momentum under the British Raj. The Howrah Bridge Act was passed in 1926, and the final design was approved after consultations with engineers from Rendel, Palmer and Tritton. Construction began in 1936, and the bridge was completed during World War II, opening to the public in 1943, a period coinciding with significant events like the Bengal famine of 1943.

Design and construction

The bridge is a notable example of a cantilever bridge without nuts and bolts, using a revolutionary riveting technique. Its superstructure is built from 26,500 tons of high-tensile Tata-Coromandel steel, supplied by companies like the Cleveland Bridge & Engineering Company. The design features a central suspended span of 1,500 feet between two main piers, each founded on monolith caissons sunk to a depth of over 100 feet. The entire project was overseen by the Braithwaite, Burn & Jessop Construction Company and involved complex engineering to withstand the tidal forces of the Hooghly River.

Traffic and usage

It is one of the busiest bridges globally, supporting an estimated daily traffic of over 100,000 vehicles and countless pedestrians, creating a perpetual flow between Howrah railway station and the commercial heart of Kolkata. The bridge facilitates the movement of everything from private cars and buses to hand-pulled rickshaws, serving as the primary link for commuters to the Howrah industrial belt. This immense load has necessitated strict traffic regulations enforced by the Kolkata Police.

Cultural significance

The structure is an enduring symbol of Kolkata and has been featured prominently in numerous works of Indian and Bengali cinema, including films by Satyajit Ray and Ritwik Ghatak. It is a popular subject in Bengali literature and visual arts, often representing the bustling life of the city. The bridge is a central landmark during festivals like Durga Puja and is officially named after the Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore.

Maintenance and renovations

Regular maintenance is critical due to constant exposure to pollution from the dense traffic and the humid, saline environment of the Hooghly River. The Kolkata Port Trust is responsible for its upkeep, which includes frequent painting with special coal tar-based enamel to combat corrosion. Major renovation projects have been undertaken, including the replacement of the decking and improvements to the pedestrian walkways. Its preservation is a continuous engineering challenge, monitored alongside other major river crossings like the Vidyasagar Setu.

Category:Bridges in Kolkata Category:Cantilever bridges in India Category:Transport in Howrah district