Koilwar Bridge
Koilwar Bridge, (officially Abdul Bari Bridge) at Koilwar in Bhojpur spans the Sone river. This 1.44 km long, 2-lane wide rail-cum-road bridge connects Arrah with Patna, the capital of Bihar state in India. The bridge is named after Indian academic and social reformer Prof. Abdul Bari, and is presently the oldest operational railway bridge in India standing since 4 November 1862. It is shown in the 1982 Oscar award winning film Gandhi, directed by Richard Attenborough. From 1862 to 1900, Koilwar bridge remained as the longest river bridge in India.
Koilwar Bridge | |
|---|---|
A view of 'Koilwar bridge' | |
| Coordinates | 25°33′57″N 84°47′54″E |
| Carries | New Delhi-Patna-Howrah railway line |
| Crosses | River Sone |
| Locale | Koilwar, Bhojpur, Bihar |
| Official name | Abdul Bari Bridge |
| Maintained by | Indian Railways (East-Central Railway Zone) |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Lattice girder |
| Material | Concrete & steel |
| Total length | 1,440 metres (4,720 ft) |
| No. of lanes | 2 |
| History | |
| Designer | George Turnbull |
| Construction start | 1856 |
| Construction end | 1862 |
| Opened | 4 November 1862 |
| Location | |
The steel lattice girder Koilwar Bridge (known as Sone Bridge when it was built) was the longest bridge in the subcontinent when built: construction started in 1856, disrupted by the Revolt of 1857, and completed in 1862. A 2-lane wide road (Old NH 30) runs under the twin rail tracks. It connects Arrah on the west side to Bihta, Danapur and Patna on the east side of Sone river.
The Koilwar bridge was inaugurated by the then Viceroy and Governor-General of India Lord Elgin, who said, "... this magnificent bridge is exceeded in magnitude by only one bridge in the world". The bridge was designed by James Meadows Rendel and Sir Matthew Digby Wyatt. It remained as the longest river bridge in the Indian subcontinent, till it was overtaken by the 3.05 Km long Upper Sone Bridge (Nehru Setu) on 27 February 1900.