Howrah Bridge to Close Overnight for First Health Audit in 40 Years
Howrah Bridge to Undergo First Health Audit Since 1983
Kolkata's revered Howrah Bridge, designed 81 years ago, will for the first time undergo a health check-up since 1983. The bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic from Saturday, at 11:30 PM through Sunday, till 4:30 AM to allow experts to conduct an intricate structural audit.
The Health Audit
Kolkata Port Trust, otherwise known as Shyama Prasad Mookerjee Port, has engaged Rail India Technical and Economic Service to audit the bridge. The broad review involves checking on one of the load reduction measures it had undertaken in May 2023 when it had stripped off the bituminous layer with the aim of reducing the weight of the bridge. Experts will analyze the effects brought about by such a change and check the state of the inside of the bridges so that they can assure safety and durability over time.
Engineering and Traffic Details
The Howrah Bridge connects Kolkata and Howrah, with a length of 705 meters over the Hooghly River. The cantilever bridge is made up of 26,500 tonnes of high tensile steel provided by Tata Steel. The 71 feet wide bridge has placed 15 feet wide platforms on either side for pedestrians. It is voted to be the busiest cantilever bridge in the world, as more than 1,00,000 vehicles and 1,50,000 pedestrians cross it every day.
During closure, motorists will be diverted to alternative routes. Vidyasagar Setu via RB Setu and Burn Standard More will route vehicles heading toward Kolkata. Those proceeding north Kolkata may follow Nibedita Setu or other routes via GT Road.
This health audit forms part of long-term preservation aimed at maintaining structural integrity so that this bridge, renamed in 1965 to flatter the poet Rabindranath Tagore, remains an iconic structure of Kolkata to continue on its role as a vital link between Kolkata and Howrah for generations.
