Howrah bridge, Kolkata
AN ELGIN EXCLUSIVE FEATURE By Aanchal Lulla
A unique feature about this bridge is that it was formed entirely by riveting and does not have any nuts or bolts. It is made out of 26,500 tons of steels, a majority of which is a high tensile alloy known as Tiscom that was made and supplied by Tata Steel.
Howrah Bridge renamed as Rabindra Setu Bridge in 1965 is a pioneering marvel in bridge construction in India and cost around INR 25 million at that time. Interestingly, what corroded this humungous wonder is bird droppings and spitting of humans. This costs the Kolkata Port Trust (KoPT ) an annual expense of Rs.500,000 regularly to keep the bridge from corroding.
The iconic Howrah bridge which has been romanticized equally by Cinema and Literature is a short drive away from The Elgin Fairlawn, Kolkata. You can also take a ferry ride to revel in the magnificent view of the bridge as it runs between Kolkata and Howrah, from the launch ghat.
The grandeur of the bridge, however, comes alive in the night time as it is all lit up. The view of the city from the ferry, especially in the night, is priceless, to say the least.
