Prayagraj: The North Central Railway has finalized plans to construct a new railway bridge over the Yamuna, marking the beginning of a historic transition.
This comes as the existing 160-year-old Yamuna rail bridge, built during British rule in India, continues to serve tirelessly but is now considered inadequate for modern-day rail operations.
Railway officials confirmed that the survey work for the new bridge has been completed, and the process of land acquisition will commence soon. The upcoming bridge will be constructed under the Rail Vikas Yojana and Dedicated Freight Corridor Project, aiming to ease the movement of both passenger and freight trains.
The Old Yamuna Bridge — A Marvel of Its Time
Constructed in 1865 by the East India Railway Company, the old Yamuna bridge, popularly called the Lohe ka Pul (Iron Bridge), remains a symbol of engineering brilliance from the colonial era.
Remarkably, this bridge was built without the use of nuts and bolts, at a time when modern machinery and technology were nonexistent. Instead, steam engines and rudimentary tools were used to raise what was then hailed as a masterpiece of industrial innovation.
In its early days, before India’s Partition, only a handful of trains passed over the bridge daily. Over the decades, however, rail traffic has surged exponentially, and today, dozens of trains cross the bridge every 24 hours.
Despite this massive load, the bridge still stands strong, sturdy, and unwavering, earning it a place in India’s living railway heritage.
Why a New Bridge Is Needed
While the old bridge has admirably withstood the test of time, increasing traffic demands and modern engineering standards have made it necessary to build a new structure. Engineers note that the antique design of the bridge requires extreme caution during train operations, and maintaining it is becoming a greater challenge each year.
The North Central Railway has thus prioritized the construction of a new Yamuna bridge, which, once completed, will serve as the third railway bridge over the Yamuna in Prayagraj. Officials estimate that the old bridge will likely remain in use until 2031, after which it will be retired once the new bridge becomes fully operational.
Official Word
“The survey work for the new rail bridge has been completed. Land acquisition will begin soon. With the construction of this new bridge, it will become much easier to operate trains smoothly across the Yamuna.”
— Shashikant Tripathi, CPRO, North Central Railway
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