Howrah Bridge completes 75 years

Kolkata: The Kolkata Port Trust (KoPT) is intending to install multi-coloured LED light to lit up the Rabindra Setu, popularly known as Howrah Bridge. Describing the Bridge as an engineering marvel, KoPT chairman Vinit Kumar on Saturday said: "The Bridge, since its inception continues to evoke the same kind of curiosity and awe it did seventy years ago. We have decorated it and will be installing LED lights keeping in mind the heritage aspect of the structure,"

Kumar said at a programme organised on a cruise on River Ganga to celebrate 75 years of Howrah Bridge.

Kolkata Mayor Sovan Chatterjee and Howrah Mayor Rathin Chakraborty were also present. Kumar further said that the KoPT will soon host an exhibition of photographs to highlight the gradual change in the structure of the Bridge from a pontoon one to a concrete steel structure. He added that the Bridge is still so strong that time-to-time maintenance will be enough for at least next few years. "It has been examined by engineers and there is no need for any major repair work at least in the next few years," Kumar added.

It may be mentioned that in order to safeguard the hanger bases and arrest corrosion, it has been covered at the hanger base with fibreglass at a cost of Rs 15 lakh.

A coffee table book on the busiest cantilever bridge in the world was released by the city Mayor on Friday.

Mayor Sovan Chatterjee said the Corporation is ready to extend all help for the upkeep of the Bridge and harped on the fact that the civic body is trying hard to restore the heritage structures in the city in the best possible manner.

It may be mentioned that the Howrah Bridge ferries more than 1.15 lakh vehicular traffic on a daily basis from both Kolkata and Howrah side. More than 5 lakh pedestrians also cross the Bridge every day from both directions.