Construction: Howrah Bridge, also known as Rabindra Setu, is a cantilever bridge located over the Hooghly River in Kolkata, India. It was constructed between 1936 and 1943.
. Engineering Marvel: Howrah Bridge is considered an engineering marvel and was one of the longest cantilever bridges at the time of its construction.
Architects: The bridge was designed by the renowned British engineering firm Rendel, Palmer & Tritton, with consulting engineers Braithwaite, Burn & Jessop Construction Company playing a crucial role.
Material: Howrah Bridge was built using 26,500 tons of high-tensile steel, which was sourced from various parts of India and abroad.
No nuts and bolts: Surprisingly, there are no nuts and bolts used in the construction of the bridge. It is held together by rivets, making it unique in its design.
No fabrication drawings: The bridge was constructed without any fabrication drawings. Instead, small-scale models were built to determine the placement and positioning of each component.
Handcrafted components: Each piece of the bridge was handcrafted and fitted together with precision. Skilled laborers worked tirelessly to assemble the bridge, resulting in a seamless structure.
Renamed as Rabindra Setu: In 1965, the bridge was officially renamed Rabindra Setu in honor of the renowned Bengali poet and Nobel laureate, Rabindranath Tagore.