Hardinge Bridge witnesses history even after expiry
Ishwardi (Pabna) correspondent :
Hardinge Bridge still stands high on his head witnessing the chest of Padma Padma.
This bridge was inaugurated 110 years ago on March 4, 1915, during the British era, at Pakshi in Ishwardi, for train traffic over the Padma River.
The bridge was named after the then Viceroy Lord Rabbon Hardinge of British India. The ever-youthing Hardinge Bridge entered the bridge but no impression of old age on the bridge.
The immortal world of Bangladesh’s history is still standing on the chest of Padma. The historic bridge has built one of the north, southern and east bridges of Bangladesh.
According to the office of the Pakshi Divisional Bridge Engineer of the Railway, during the then British rule, Kolkata built a bridge of 5,894 feet or 1.8 km on the Padma river to facilitate communication with Assam, Tripura, Nagaland and North Bengal.
The bridge containing 15 girder or span is carrying the signature of the professional construction style of Engineer Sir Robert Gales.
After the preliminary survey in 1909, land acquisition, and feasibility study for the construction of the guide bank, construction work began and was completed in December 1914.
The bridge has two broad gauge railway tracks. Each of the 15 spans of the bridge is 52 feet high. Each span weighs 1,250 tons. In addition to the 15 spans, there are six additional land spans, three on each side of the bridge.
This aesthetic rail bridge is built at a height of 40 feet above the highest water level during the monsoon season and 71 feet above the lowest water level in the summer. That is why large boats, including steamers, can operate under the bridge.
During the Liberation War in 1971, on December 14, the 12th span of this bridge was demolished by the Indian Allied Forces by dropping bombs from aircraft to cut off Pakistani forces’ communication with North and South Bengal.
This span was later restored in 1972 with the same design. Since then, trains have continued to operate over the bridge uninterruptedly.
Although the red -colored Hardinge Bridge, the holder and carrier of the history and heritage of Bangladesh, made in artistic art, has passed 110 years, but still attractive and fascinated the minds of the visitors.
A road bridge called “Lalon Shah Bridge” was built next to the bridge in 2004. Also, the country’s only nuclear power plant is being built near the bridge.
Which is in a unique beauty with the traditional Hardinge Bridge on the chest of Padma. Every day there are crowds of people to see three establishments in the same place.
Train driver (loco master) Rabiul Islam said, “Although the train was previously operated at a speed of 60 kilometers, now there are instructions to operate at a speed of 40 kilometers.
However, we are operating as before, and there is no sign of any jolting or anything unusual in the movement of trains over this bridge after the expiry date.”
Pakshi Divisional Railway Engineer Birbal Mondal said, the bridge is regularly inspected and monitored. Even after 110 years, everything about the bridge is in good condition.
There are no defects or problems anywhere. If maintained properly, it is possible to run trains on this bridge for another 20-25 years.
Pakshi Divisional Bridge Engineer Anwar Hossain said that the bridge had a lifespan of 100 years at the time of construction.
Later, in 2015, after conducting research on the bridge and testing the iron structure, researchers assured that it would last for another 25 years.
As a result, the bridge will remain operational until 2040. In the meantime it passed for 10 years.
The government plans to construct another new railway bridge next to this bridge. Work is underway to verify the feasibility and design of the new bridge.
Over time, India was divided into Pakistan and later Bangladesh. Even then, the main goal of establishing the bridge was ‘development of communication system and economic prosperity’, and the Hardinge Bridge still plays a prominent role.