147 year old Ganga bridge collapsed, a large part of the dilapidated Ganga bridge collapsed
A large part of Kanpur's 147-year-old Ganga bridge collapsed on Tuesday. The bridge was closed in 2021 due to its dilapidated condition. Built during the British rule, this bridge was an important route connecting Kanpur and Shuklaganj.
INDC Network: Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh: 147-year-old Ganga Bridge Collapses: Break on historical connection of Kanpur-Shuklaganj
A large part of the Ganga bridge was swallowed up in the river Ganga
A large part of the historical Ganga bridge built on the river Ganga in Kanpur collapsed on Tuesday morning. Kothi No. 10 of the bridge was suddenly submerged in the Ganga. Although the bridge was closed since 2021 due to its dilapidated condition, no casualties were reported.
Dilapidated condition and cracks of the bridge
This bridge was built in 1875 by the engineers of the East India Company during the rule of the British. Over time, large cracks appeared in the bridge decks. An investigation in 2020 declared it dangerous for vehicular traffic. The PWD recommended closure of the bridge, after which it was completely closed on 5 April 2021.
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Bridge Collapsed Due to Lack of Maintenance
According to engineering standards, iron bridges require regular maintenance. However, no regular maintenance was done on the Ganga bridge. Brix is 100 years old, and this bridge was about 147 years old. The last road repair of the bridge was done in 2013. After that, the position of the bridge was ignored.
The main link bridge between Kanpur and Shuklaganj
was 1.38 km long and 12 meters wide. This bridge was the main traffic route between Kanpur and Shuklaganj. 1.25 lakh people used to cross this bridge every day, including four-wheelers and two-wheelers. The collapse of the bridge is a major setback for movement between these areas.
It took seven years and four months to build the historical significance Ganga bridge. It was opened to traffic in 1875. A railway bridge was built near it in 1910. This bridge was built to connect Kanpur, Unnao and Lucknow and was a masterpiece of engineering of its time.
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