Godavari Bridge 1

Godavari Bridge

Godavari Bridge

The Godavari Bridge across Godavari RiverOther name(s) Rajahmundry-Kovur Bridge

Carries Two lanes of Road and Single Railway line.

Crosses Godavari River

Locale Rajahmundry

Engineering design Braithwaite, Burn & Jessop Construction Company

Design Truss Bridge

Total length 2.7 kilometres (1.7 mi)

Longest span 97.5 metres (320 ft)

Opened August 16, 1974

Preceded by Godavari Arch Bridge

Followed by The Havelock Bridge

Coordinates 16°59′52″N 81°45′21″E

The Godavari Bridge or Kovvur-Rajahmundry Bridge is a truss bridge spanning Godavari river in Rajahmundry,India. It is Asia's second longest road-cum-rail bridge crossing a water body, after the Sky Gate Bridge in KansaiInternational Airport, Osaka. It is second of the three bridges that span the Godavari River at Rajahmundry. TheHavelock Bridge being the earliest, was built in 1897, and having served its full utility, was decommissioned in1997. The latest bridge is the Godavari Arch Bridge, a bowstring-girder bridge, built in 1997 and presently inservice.The bridge is 2.7 kilometers long consisting of 27 spans of 91.4 m and 7 spans of 45.72 m of which 6 spans of45.72m are in 6 deg. curve at long Rajahmundry end to make up for the built up area. The bridge has a road deckover the single track rail deck, similar to the Grafton Bridge in New South Wales, Australia. This bridge, in additionto Godavari Arch Bridge, has been widely used to represent Rajahmundry in arts, media, and culture. It is one of therecognised symbols of Rajahmundry.[1]

GeographyThe road-cum-rail bridge is built across the Godavari River (largest river in South India at over 1,000 kilometres (620 mi) length) as it enters into the deltaic reach before debouching into the sea 60 kilometres (37 mi) downstream of the bridge, the second largest river in India. At the location of the bridge, near Rajahmundry, the river flows with a width of about 2.7 kilometres (1.7 mi), split in two channels with an island formation in between. The maximum discharge observed in the river is reported to be around 3 million m3/s and the maximum velocity of water flow as 5

Godavari Bridge 2

metres (16 ft) per second

History

ConstructionDuring the Third Five-Year plan doubling of railway track between Chennai-Howrah was planned. Most of the routehad been doubled except the small stretch of track between Kovvur- Rajahmundry where a bridge had to be built tospan the three kilometer long Godavari River. During 1964, the construction of second bridge across Godavari riverat Rajahmundry was sanctioned as a part of doubling of track between Kovvur- Rajahmundry. But there had been apersistent demand from local population for construction of a road link between Kovvur- Rajahmundry, whichwould essentially link East Godavari and West Godavari districts. The Andhra Pradesh State Government cameforward with the proposal to add a road deck over the rail bridge under construction as a part of doubling the railwaytrack between Chennai-Howrah.[2]

It was commissioned by South Central Railway division of Indian Railways. Construction of the bridge began inearly 1970s by Braithwaite, Burn & Jessop Construction Company, a group company of Bharat Bhari Udyog NigamLimited.[3] When completed it was Asia's longest rail -cum- road bridge.It was inaugurated by the then President of India, Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed in 1977.

Sister Bridges

Old Godavari BridgeThe Old Godavari Bridge or Havelock Bridge was built in 1900 by Mr.F.T.G.Walton, now decommissioned, thisbridge has 56 spans and is 2754 m long. It was constructed with stone masonry and steel girders and certainly amarvel of British engineering. The New Godavari Bridge was made as a substitute for it.

Godavari Arch BridgeGodavari Arch Bridge is the newest bridge constructed among the three. Constructed by the Hindustan ConstructionCompany (HCC), this bridge is a modern day engineering feat. The bridge is made of bow string girder arches. Thebridge is fit for 350 km/h rail services. The bridge was opened for rail traffic in 2003.

Panorama

Godavari Bridge 3

Gallery

Sunset at the Bridge Sunset at the Bridge Starting of the bridge. Notice theelevated road going over the

bridge to join it.

Stretch of Godavari Bridge. Thisis only the half of the bridge

References[1] http:/ / www. thehindubusinessline. in/ 2006/ 03/ 06/ stories/ 2006030601050500. htm[2] R.R., Bhandari. Bridges: A Spectacular Feat of Indian Engineering (http:/ / irsme. nic. in/ files/ mmfiles/ BRIDGES_RRB. pdf). .[3] "Structurae - Godavari Bridge" (http:/ / en. structurae. de/ structures/ data/ index. cfm?id=s0007364). Structurae. . Retrieved 9 June 2011.

Article Sources and Contributors 4

Article Sources and ContributorsGodavari Bridge  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=517349336  Contributors: Anna Frodesiak, Azizsameer, Chandan Guha, CommonsDelinker, Elonka, GrahamHardy,Hugo999, Jklamo, Jovianeye, Koavf, MakeChooChooGoNow, Muk.khan, Nmadhubala, Para, Pearle, Peter Horn, Rishabhchandan, Roland zh, SchreiberBike, Shyamsunder, Slambo, Sumurai8,Tabletop, Tatiraju.rishabh, Thaejas, Thiseye, Thomas Larsen, 10 anonymous edits

Image Sources, Licenses and ContributorsFile:Nwgbridge.JPG  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Nwgbridge.JPG  License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 3.0  Contributors: Original uploader wasRishabhchandan at en.wikipedia. Later version(s) were uploaded by Tatiraju.rishabh at en.wikipedia.Image:Godavari bridge panorama.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Godavari_bridge_panorama.jpg  License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 3.0 Contributors: Original uploader was Tatiraju.rishabh at en.wikipediaFile:Newgbridge1.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Newgbridge1.jpg  License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 3.0  Contributors: MathewTownsend,Tatiraju.rishabhFile:Nwgbridge2.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Nwgbridge2.jpg  License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 3.0  Contributors: MathewTownsend,Tatiraju.rishabhFile:Goadavari bridge full view.JPG  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Goadavari_bridge_full_view.JPG  License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 3.0 Contributors: MathewTownsend, Tatiraju.rishabh

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