Overview

• Location: Spans the Hooghly River in West Bengal, connecting the twin city Howrah and Kolkata.
• Type: Cantilever truss bridge, known for its engineering marvel as a suspension type balanced cantilever.
• Inauguration: Opened to the public on 3rd February 1943.
• Length: Total length of 705 meters (2,313 feet).
• Width: About 21.6 meters (71 feet) wide, with 8 lanes for vehicular traffic.
• Materials Used: Made of 26,500 metric tons of steel, primarily high-tensile steel known as Tata Steel (formerly TISCO).
• Maintenance: It was renamed Rabindra Setu in 1965, after the famous Bengali poet Rabindranath Tagore, but is still popularly known as Howrah Bridge.

Design and Structure

• Engineering Marvel: It is a cantilever bridge, which means it is supported only on the ends, with the middle portion hanging free.
• Construction Time: Took around 7 years to complete, with construction starting in 1936.
• Pioneering Steel Usage: No nuts or bolts were used in the construction; it was assembled using rivets, showcasing pioneering engineering techniques.
• Load Capacity: One of the busiest cantilever bridges in the world, it carries a daily traffic of over 100,000 vehicles and more than 150,000 pedestrians.

Historical Significance

• Strategic Importance during WWII: The bridge was built during World War II, and was of significant strategic importance to the British Indian Army.
• Symbol of Kolkata: It has become an iconic symbol representing Kolkata, appearing frequently in films, literature, and art.

Interesting Facts

• Third Longest Cantilever Bridge: At the time of its completion, it was the third longest cantilever bridge in the world. Currently, it remains one of the longest and busiest.
• No Use of Nuts and Bolts: A unique feature of the bridge is that it was constructed without a single nut or bolt. The entire structure is held together by over 26,500 metric tons of steel rivets.
• Weather Corrosion: The bridge is exposed to corrosive air and humidity, with the steel often suffering damage due to bird droppings and pollution, making maintenance a major task.
• Vibrant Lighting: The bridge is illuminated with color-changing LED lights at night, adding to its beauty and showcasing its architectural brilliance.
• Floating Traffic: Known for having a bustling floating market beneath it, where boatmen sell goods on the Hooghly River.

• Mallick Ghat: 

Asia's largest and oldest flower market Mallick Ghat is here beside the Howrah Bridge. Established in 1855, it offers a vibrant display of various flowers. The bustling market is not just a place for flower trading but also a cultural experience, with vendors passionately haggling over prices and customers seeking fresh blooms for rituals, weddings, and daily offerings. Its colorful atmosphere make it a popular spot for tourists and photographers, providing a glimpse into Kolkata's traditional marketplace culture.

Cultural and Filmmaking Connection

• Popular Filming Location: The bridge has been featured in numerous Bollywood and Tollywood movies, symbolizing the essence of Kolkata.

• Literary Mention: The Howrah Bridge has been a subject in Bengali literature, capturing the transition of Kolkata over the years.

Engineering Challenges

• Daily Load: The bridge was initially designed to accommodate a much smaller volume of traffic, but today it endures a load much heavier than anticipated.
• Water Transport Clearance: Special engineering was required to ensure clearance for river traffic below, as the Hooghly River is a busy waterway.

Maintenance Challenges

• High Maintenance Costs: With constant exposure to weather, the bridge requires frequent maintenance, costing several crores of rupees annually.
• Cleaning Bird Droppings: The corrosive nature of bird droppings necessitates regular cleaning, as the bridge is a roosting place for pigeons.

The Howrah Bridge is not just a physical structure but a symbol of Kolkata's heritage and an engineering feat, blending functionality with cultural significance.

"EXPLORE KOLKATA SERIES"

Signing off, 

@ARITRA     (follow for more)

@iQOO Connect  

@TechSAM009     @NITIN     @Cv18     @sharon     @Aojesh     @MKJEDI     @Hasratsingh     @Lakshay     @ayuu     @ANJU     @YasirTheJOD     @KrishnaQ     @RockyFTW     @TESVIPER10     @V J ANANTH KRISHNA     @Manab10     @Sourav     @Shubham_Mondal     @TechieGuy     @Dhiraj Kumar     @Sunny_Kumar     @Hasan Raza Khan     @HASIBUL     @prasad.photos     @Rhythm     @Kvkartikji04     @Ashu._.pandit__     @Jabir007     @Anilyadav007     @GokulNarain18     @Arpipandey320     @Prashantgod0     @Andybitts     @RZ Nitin