Kolkata: Iconic Howrah Bridge to undergo detailed check-up to improve lifespan

The iconic 80-year-old Howrah Bridge, which links Howrah and Kolkata over the Hooghly river, will undergo a detailed check-up after over a decade to know how its lifespan can be improved.

The comprehensive check-up of the cantilever bridge – reputedly the busiest in the world – will be done in consultation with IIT Chennai, Kolkata port chairman Rathendra Raman said.

“The proposed exercise will be taken up in addition to the routine maintenance of the bridge. This study will provide us with valuable insights on how to improve the bridge’s lifespan,” Raman said on Wednesday (May 24).

A previous such exercise was conducted 11 years ago, with the expertise of RITES.

Rabindra Setu

The Howrah Bridge, officially known as Rabindra Setu, is 405 metres in length and 21.6 metres in width. Since its construction in 1943, it has become a major landmark of Kolkata.

Every day, the Howrah Bridge facilitates the passage of some 80,000 vehicles and 4,00,000 pedestrians.

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The port authorities had already started working to scrap the bituminous road surface on the bridge. A new layer will be laid to reduce the bridge’s load.

The National Technology Centre for Ports, Waterways and Coasts, a division of IIT Chennai, will advise the authorities for the comprehensive study, the port chairman said. Raman stated that if necessary, another expert consultant would be appointed to assist the port authorities in the initiative.

The study

The scope of the study is yet to be finalised, but experts will closely examine issues such as corrosion and fatigue that the bridge had been facing.

“The goal is to identify effective strategies to address these challenges and to ensure the longevity of the bridge,” the official added.

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The Howrah Bridge does not have nuts and bolts but was formed by riveting the whole structure. It consumed 26,500 tonnes of steel, out of which 23,000 tonnes of high-tensile alloy steel were supplied by Tata Steel.

The bridge has been featured in several Indian movies.

(With inputs from agencies)