Howrah Bridge: icon of a 330-year-old city in India – part I: history, planning and design

Howrah Bridge completes its 75 years of service for the populace of the twin Indian cities of Calcutta (now Kolkata) and Howrah and is considered as the icon of the city. The imposing and heavily built balanced-cantilever suspension bridge has held the fancy of the city population ever since its construction. Calcutta, as it was previously known, was built on the bank away from the mainland and therefore had to depend on the main railway station at Howrah on the western bank as the entrance to the city. The bridge has thus become its main link to the mainland in the west and north of India. The present bridge was preceded by a floating bridge on pontoons that served for an astonishing ~70 years. Almost 35 years of deliberations, planning and tender invitations had proceeded before the bridge construction was started, only to be completed in a period of 6 years – an amazing feat. The planning and design of the bridge incorporated features addressing future maintenance needs and adjustments that have kept the structure in perfect shape.