Friends, if we talk about the condition of the bridge at present, then you will be sad to know that Kolkata’s Howrah Bridge made of 26 thousand tonnes of steel is now in danger. Engineers say about this bridge that its pillars have started rusting.
Pan, which has the power to pass more than one lakh vehicles in a day, has become a threat to this bridge. Yes, in fact, the people of Kolkata are fond of eating paan. Due to which lakhs of people pass through this bridge every day while chewing paan and spitting on the bridge. Due to this not only the bridge becomes dirty but the bridge is slowly deteriorating. Engineers have also said that the thickness of the base of some of the pillars on which the bridge rests has halved in the last few years.
Friends, you can guess here that if people still do not recover, then the day is not far when we will lose Howrah Bridge.
Apart from this, an incident in the year 2005 also caused a lot of damage to this bridge. Actually, at that time a cargo ship was passing under this bridge. During that time this ship was stuck there. There was a lot of damage to the bridge in getting this ship out of there.
Apart from humans, this bridge is also at great risk from birds. Actually, the birds have made this bridge their nest. They constantly keep spreading dirt here, due to which the bridge is getting chemical loss. This is the reason why the Government of Kolkata spends 5 lakh rupees every year to clean the dirt of the birds from the top of the bridge.
From time to time, it is also painted to protect this bridge from corrosion. To paint this entire bridge, 500 liters of paint is required, in which the entire 65 lakh rupees are spent.
That is, you can understand that a lot of money is spent like water to keep this bridge safe.
Friends, we would like to tell you that there is still time to calm down and save this historic bridge. No matter how strong this bridge may be, but if we humans keep spreading dirt on it like this, then the day is not far when it will break after becoming shabby.
Friends, ‘Howrah Bridge’, which has been the identity of Kolkata for 75 years, is famous not only in India but all over the world. This is a historic bridge which has also been a witness to the Second World War. As the name suggests, this bridge connects Kolkata to Howrah. This bridge connecting Kolkata and Howrah is quite unique in itself. Unique bridges like this bridge, you will get to see only a few in the world. That is why if someone wants to see Kolkata, then he is first made to see Howrah Bridge. But have you ever wondered what it is like in Howrah Bridge that it is considered so unique. Why even big engineers are surprised to see this bridge.
Friends, ‘Howrah Bridge’ as you all must know that it is built on the Hooghly river flowing between Kolkata and Howrah. For your information, let us tell you that there used to be no bridge on the Hooghly river. In the last decades of the nineteenth century, the British Indian government planned to build a bridge over the Hooghly river for the movement of people, for which the Howrah Bridge Act was also passed in 1871, and then in the year 1874 over the Hooghly river for 22 lakh rupees. A pontoon bridge was built at the cost, whose length was 1828 feet and width was 62 feet.
This bridge was not that strong but somehow the work was going on. Then came the period of the year 1906, when the Howrah station was completed, after which the movement of people on this bridge increased. A decision was taken to remove this bridge and build a floating pool here so that there is no danger to the people, but before the work of building the floating bridge could start, the world war broke out, which stopped the work of building the floating bridge.
The bridge construction work was halted till the World War and then after the World War in the year 1922, the New Howrah Bridge Commission was formed. Tender was also floated for the preparation of the bridge. Many companies tried to get this tender to build the Howrah Bridge, but the tender to build the bridge was given to The Braithwaite Burn and Jessop Construction Company.
Along with giving the tender, the British gave a strong instruction here that there should not be countless pillars under the bridge so that the boats coming out from under the bridge should not face any kind of problem. Now the design of the bridge was prepared but the engineers were very much scared about it because building a bridge without pillars was a challenging task. The design of Howrah Bridge, which was prepared, talked about making only four pillars and it was decided to install these pillars at both ends of the bridge.
Friends, this is the reason why the entire Howrah Bridge rests on two 280 feet high pillars built on both sides of the river. You will be surprised to know that the distance between the two pillars of the bridge is 1500 feet. But still the Howrah Bridge has stood firmly for years and this makes this bridge the most unique.
Behind the strength of this bridge are the best quality materials used in its construction. 26.5 thousand tons of steel have been used to make this bridge.
Friends, many of you here must be wondering whether it was possible to collect so much steel 100 years ago. So let us tell you, it was not possible but by making this impossible work possible, Tata Steel, the only largest steel making company in the country, made it possible. Tata Steel Company alone had supplied 23.5 thousand tonnes of steel for the construction of the bridge. In such a situation, it would not be wrong to say that if the Howrah Bridge is standing today, then there is a hand of Tata Steel Company somewhere behind it.
By the way, let us tell you for your information, to connect the steel plates that were used for the construction of this bridge, instead of nut bolts, metal forts have been used. So that there is no reduction in the strength of the bridge and it should stand with such strength for years and years. You should also know that since the construction of this bridge, the tram has also passed through it.
A total cost of Rs 2.5 crore was incurred to build the Howrah Bridge. The length of the bridge is 1528 feet while the width is 62 feet.
Friends, when the Howrah Bridge was completed, Howrah Bridge became the third longest bridge of its kind. People from all over the country and abroad used to come to see him.
Friends, today even though the popularity of Howrah Bridge has decreased, but there was a time when people used to go to Kolkata, they did not come back without seeing Howrah Bridge.
Friends, do you know that some interesting facts related to Howrah Bridge have also come to the fore, which you will be surprised to hear.
You will be surprised to know that ‘Howrah Bridge’ is the only bridge in the world which has not been inaugurated till date and it is running without inauguration. Actually, when this bridge was completed, the 2nd world war was at its peak. Rivers of blood were flowing everywhere, everywhere there was a scene of devastation. Therefore, at such a time, the Howrah Bridge was made operational without any opening ceremony.
Friends, Howrah Bridge is a historic bridge that has suffered bombings during the Second World War, while at the same time has seen the independence movement and the terrible famine of Bengal.
Friends, do you know that the real name of what we call Howrah Bridge today is ‘Rabindra Setu’. Actually, when this bridge connecting Kolkata and Howrah was completed, it was named ‘New Howrah Bridge’ at that time. But on June 14, 1965, it was named ‘Rabindra Setu’ after Guru Rabindranath Tagore. Its name was changed but it is still famous among the people as Howrah Bridge.
Friends, apart from all this, another interesting fact about Howrah Bridge, which is famous among people, is that there is a key to Howrah Bridge, which Britain has not yet given to India.
You will also be stunned to know the full details of this key. Actually, people say about this key that with the help of this key, this bridge can be opened from the middle for the movement of big ships. That is, you can say that the Britishers had prepared this bridge with a very advanced technology and perhaps this is the reason why the Britishers did not put any pillar in the middle under this bridge. Well friends about this
How much truth is there, this thing has not been disclosed yet, but if the facts are seen, this thing proves to be true somewhere.
Friends, if we talk about the condition of the bridge at present, then you will be sad to know that Kolkata’s Howrah Bridge made of 26 thousand tonnes of steel is now in danger. Engineers say about this bridge that its pillars have started rusting.
Pan, which has the power to pass more than one lakh vehicles in a day, has become a threat to this bridge. Yes, in fact, the people of Kolkata are fond of eating paan. Due to which lakhs of people pass through this bridge every day while chewing paan and spitting on the bridge. Due to this not only the bridge becomes dirty but the bridge is slowly deteriorating. Engineers have also said that the thickness of the base of some of the pillars on which the bridge rests has halved in the last few years.
Friends, you can guess here that if people still do not recover, then the day is not far when we will lose Howrah Bridge.
Apart from this, an incident in the year 2005 also caused a lot of damage to this bridge. Actually, at that time a cargo ship was passing under this bridge. During that time this ship was stuck there. There was a lot of damage to the bridge in getting this ship out of there.
Apart from humans, this bridge is also at great risk from birds. Actually, the birds have made this bridge their nest. They constantly keep spreading dirt here, due to which the bridge is getting chemical loss. This is the reason why the Government of Kolkata spends 5 lakh rupees every year to clean the dirt of the birds from the top of the bridge.
From time to time, it is also painted to protect this bridge from corrosion. To paint this entire bridge, 500 liters of paint is required, in which the entire 65 lakh rupees are spent.
That is, you can understand that a lot of money is spent like water to keep this bridge safe.
Friends, we would like to tell you that there is still time to calm down and save this historic bridge. No matter how strong this bridge may be, but if we humans keep spreading dirt on it like this, then the day is not far when it will break after becoming shabby.