400-year-old Barapullah bridge to be conserved, open for walkers this winter

The ₹37 lakh project will remove 632 cu.m of bitumen and 1,500 cu.m of plaster, using traditional methods to preserve the 1621 Mughal bridge.

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) will soon begin conservation and restoration of the 400-year-old Mughal-era Barapullah bridge, a project that will include revival of the original floor surface, restoration of damaged minars, and removal of later additions, officials said.

ASI to peel off concrete layers, restore Mughal-era floor, and secure site with new grills, gates and a porta cabin; vehicles barred. (RAJ K RAJ /HT PHOTO)

The ASI has invited bids for the project, estimated at ₹37 lakh, and expects completion in about two months. “People will be able to visit the restored bridge by December later this year,” an ASI official told HT, requesting anonymity.

Bridge is currently closed behind iron gates to protect the structure and to prevent further encroachment. It would reopen for pedestrian use after the restoration is completed, but the bridge will remain closed to vehicles to preserve its integrity. The bridge is already designated as ASI protected monument, officials said.

“The surface of the bridge is uneven due to additions of concrete, lime and debris over the years. At the core of the project, we want to restore the original surface of the bridge, which was set up using ashlar stones. The layers of additions will be peeled off, and we will also restore the two damaged minarets on the bridge structure,” the official explained.

In June, ASI had dug a 3x3 foot pit at one end of the bridge to study original construction materials, officials said. Beneath the debris layers, ashlar stones, known for their durability and rectangular form, were found.

The Barapullah bridge, named for its 12 piers, lies under the modern Barapullah flyover and above the Barapullah drain. Years of encroachment and neglect have damaged the structure. Its length once overlapped with the Madrasi colony in Jangpura-B, and the corridor had turned into a local marketplace. A cleanup drive last year and demolition in Madrasi camp this June cleared portions of the site, officials added.

According to the project report, ASI will remove about 632 cubic metres of bituminous surface and 1,500 cubic metres of old plaster through mechanical interventions. Traditional methods, including random rubble masonry and lime mortar mixtures with adhesive materials such as gur, belgiri and gum, will be used.

Security will also be upgraded with enhanced iron grills, gates, and a container-based porta cabin near the site. Two of the 12 piers—the first on the right and the eighth on the left—are badly damaged and will be reconstructed; others will undergo minor repairs.

The 14-metre-wide, 195-metre-long bridge was built in 1621-22 during Emperor Jahangir’s reign. According to ASI’s 2001 book Delhi and its Neighbourhood, it stood on Old Mathura Road near Rahim Khan-i-Khanan’s Tomb. Once spanning a Yamuna tributary, the bridge today rises over a wide drain adjacent to Nizamuddin Basti.