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150-year-old design holds key to Ganga bridge demolition
PWD is seeking the original design without which cost of demolition expected to go up manifold, Northern Railways approached for help
Finding it difficult to assess the depth of the piers of the historic Ganga bridge that once connected Kanpur and Unnao, the public works department (PWD) is seeking the 150-year-old design of the 1,380-meter-long bridge, a part of which had collapsed in November last year and that now faces demolition.
Designed by British engineer JM Hoppe, the bridge’s intricate structure extends across both banks of the Ganga and without the correct specifications, the demolition cannot proceed unless an alternative and far more expensive method is employed, according to engineers in the know of things.
The PWD, which maintained the bridge until its closure in 2021, has approached Northern Railways for assistance in retrieving the original design. This bridge once served as a railway link. The department is hopeful that Northern Railways, as the owner of the bridge’s design, can provide the necessary specifications.
Executive engineer Anoop Mishra confirmed the PWD Kanpur has received orders from the headquarters to demolish the bridge. “We have written to the railways requesting the design and seeking their assistance with the demolition,” Mishra said.
Departmental engineers warned that if the design is not found, the alternative method of constructing temporary dams around the piers to assess the depth of the base could increase demolition cost by as much as 100%.
The PWD initially attempted to retrieve the fallen iron sections from the river, estimating their weight at around 60 tonnes. However, after further evaluation, it was decided that the entire structure would need to be demolished, and a specialised team was formed for the task.
Junior engineer Subhash Yadav, who is overseeing the demolition and assessment of debris and materials, confirmed that plans for the demolition are being developed. “Our primary challenge is assessing the correct depth of the piers, and we are actively searching for the original design,” Yadav said.
The department has formally requested the design from the divisional railway manager of Northern Railways in Lucknow. This decision followed the PWD’s unsuccessful attempt to locate the plaque that typically detailed the project’s specifications—an integral part of British engineering tradition. Upon further investigation, the team learned that the bridge’s ownership had been transferred to Northern Railways, which maintains a repository of all design documents for bridges it has managed.
Built in 1874 by the Awadh and Rohilkhand Company Limited, the bridge was renowned for its double-storey design, with the upper deck serving as a railway bridge and the lower deck used by pedestrians. It was constructed under the supervision of SB Newton, a resident engineer for the East India Company, and assistant engineer E. Wedgard. The bridge featured 27 full-gauge brick pillars and consisted of 25 spans of 100 feet each, along with two spans of 41 feet.
For nearly 100 years, the bridge was a crucial transportation link between Kanpur and Lucknow. In 1910, a parallel narrow-gauge railway bridge was built alongside it, and the rail tracks on the original structure were replaced with a road.
On November 26 last year, a portion between piers 22 and 23 collapsed—three years after the bridge was closed to traffic. It was used by one lakh people daily.
