Ganga rail–road bridge

Ganga rail–road bridge
Coordinates 25°40′05″N 85°06′30″E / 25.6681°N 85.1083°E / 25.6681; 85.1083
Crosses Ganges
Locale Patna–Sonepur
Characteristics
Design K-truss bridge
Total length 4,556 metres (14,948 ft)
Width 10 metres (33 ft)
Number of spans 36
History
Construction begin 2003
Construction end March 2015
Opened 2nd February 2016

Ganga rail–road bridge (Hindi: गंगा रेल-सड़क सेतु) or Digha–Sonepur rail–road bridge is a bridge across river Ganges, connecting Digha Ghat in Patna and Pahleja Ghat in Sonepur in the Indian state of Bihar. Upon completion in March 2015, the bridge would provide easy roadway and railway link between northern and southern parts of Bihar.first trial with one engine done on 8 August 2015 is successful.[1] Regularly scheduled passenger rail service was inaugurated on this route on 03 February 2016.

The project

Presently, Rajendra Setu is the only bridge that carries railway tracks across the Ganges in the state of Bihar. It was opened in 1959.[2][3][4]

Initially sanctioned as a rail bridge, the project was converted to a rail-cum-road bridge in 2006. Total cost of the project was put at ₹13,890 million, out of which ₹8,350 million was for the rail part, and ₹5,540 million was for the road part. It was expected to be completed in five years.[5]

When completed, the 4,556 metres (14,948 ft) bridge would be amongst the longer bridges in India.[6] The total length of construction, including approaches, would be 20 km.[7] It would be a K-truss bridge.[8]

According to a media report the bridge is expected to be completed by 2017.[9] Railways is working hard to complete Ganga Rail–Road Bridge project within the stipulated time of March 2015 to ease the huge traffic flow on the Mahatma Gandhi Setu. The work is most likely to get completed by the end of 2015 as the remaining fund of Rs 300-350 crore has been allocated in the Rail Budget 2015-16.[10][11]

Politicking

Ganga Rail–Road Bridge (under construction)

In 1996, survey work for the proposed bridge was initiated by the Railways at three possible sites – Digha–Sonepur, Gulzarbagh-Hajipur and Ict Ghat–Sonepur. Ram Vilas Paswan was then the Union Railway Minister and he lent his support to the Gulzarbagh-Hajipur site, as Hajipur was the constituency from which he was elected. Lalu Prasad Yadav, then Chief Minister of Bihar, lent his support to the Digha–Sonepur site. In the wake of the conflicting support of the political heavy weights, disturbances broke out at Sonepur. One person was shot dead. Many experts opined in favour of building the rail bridge adjacent to the Mahatma Gandhi Setu, the road bridge connecting Hajipur with Patna. However, political opinion prevailed and the Digha–Sonepur site was selected. Rs. 24 million was spent on the survey alone.[12] The bridge was finally sanctioned during the term as Union Railway Minister of Nitish Kumar, present Chief Minister of Bihar.[6] The scope of work was expanded when Lalu Prasad Yadav was the Union Railway Minister.

Service

Regularly scheduled passenger service was inaugurated on this route on 03 February 2016. Initially, six services will utilize the bridge connecting Patna with North Bihar and parts of Uttar Pradesh. Diesel Multiple Unit trains from Patliputra Junction to Barauni Junction via Sonepur, Hajipur, Shahpur Patori, to Gorakhpur Junction via Chhapra, Siwan, Thawe and Kaptanganj, and to Gorakhpur Junction via Hajipur, Muzaffarpur, Raxaul and Narkatiaganj are among the initial services.[13] [14]

In the future, certain long-distance Patna-bound trains are expected to shift to this northerly route easing the burden on the heavily congested Mughalsarai-Patna rail line.[15]

Bridges across the Ganges in Bihar

The Ganges divides the state of Bihar in two parts. The mighty river makes communication between the two parts a difficult task.

The first effort to bridge the gap was Rajendra Setu in 1959.[2][3] The next bridge across the Ganges in Bihar was the 5,575 metres (18,291 ft) Mahatma Gandhi Setu, the longest bridge in India at the time of its commissioning in 1982.[16] It was followed by Vikramshila Setu near Bhagalpur.[17] The fourth bridge across the Ganges in the state is the Ganga Rail–Road Bridge.

Munger Ganga Bridge is also under construction.[18] Trial run by Rail engine was done successfully on 27 December 2015. [19]A 5.575 km long bridge Bakhtiyarpur-Tajpur Bridge is under construction which will connect Bakhtiyarpur and Tajpur.[20]

Arrah–Chhapra Bridge across the Ganges is also under construction which will connect Arrah and Chhapra.[21] A road bridge parallel to the existing rail and road bridge, Rajendra Setu, has also been planned.[22]

See also

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ganga rail–road bridge.
  1. ↑ "Digha Sonepur Rail Road Bridge to be operational by 2017". Biharprabha News. Retrieved 24 November 2013.
  2. 1 2 "Rlys begins bridge renovation work". Times of India, Patna, 12 July 2010. 2010-07-12. Retrieved 2011-07-06.
  3. 1 2 "Indian railways history (after independence)". Indian Railways. Retrieved 2011-07-06.
  4. ↑ "Indian Railways’ Forgotten Frontier – Tribals Travel on Rooftops". Again in Bihar: 930 crore and 625 crore rail cum road bridges. Retrieved 2011-07-07.
  5. ↑ "Enlargement of rail bridge over Ganga near Patna approved by CCEA". one india news. Retrieved 2011-07-06.
  6. 1 2 "‘Rail bridge over Ganga would be nation’s pride’". Chennai, India: The Hindu, 13 October 2009. 2009-10-13. Retrieved 2011-07-06.
  7. ↑ "Trains in India". PPPNOW.com. Retrieved 2011-07-06.
  8. ↑ "Ganga River Railroad Bridge at Patna". Structurae. Retrieved 2011-07-06.
  9. ↑ Bhelari, Amit (2012-03-08). "New deadline for rail bridge". Calcutta, India: The Telegraph, 8 March 2012. Retrieved 2012-11-06.
  10. ↑ http://www.telegraphindia.com/1150227/jsp/bihar/story_5824.jsp#.VPQdqFOUenA
  11. ↑ http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/patna/ECR-gets-Rs744cr-more-than-last-year-says-GM/articleshow/46387240.cms
  12. ↑ "Digha–Sonepur rail bridge has an eventful past". Times of India, 2 February 2002. 2002-02-02. Retrieved 2011-07-06.
  13. ↑ Kumod Verma (February 2, 2016). "Train to run on Digha–Sonepur bridge today". Times of India.
  14. ↑ Kumod Verma and HK Verma (February 3, 2016). "Trains run on Ganga bridge, end 18-year-long wait". Times of India.
  15. ↑ H K Verma (22 December 2015). "Saran residents await opening of Digha bridge". Times of India.
  16. ↑ "Mahatma Gandhi Setu the Longest River Bridge in India". General Knowledge Quiz. Retrieved 2011-07-06.
  17. ↑ "Vikramshila Setu". Bhagalpur, Land of Art, Culture and Education. Retrieved 2011-07-06.
  18. ↑ "PM opens work on Munger rail-cum-road bridge project". Times of India, 27 December 2002. 2002-12-27. Retrieved 2011-07-06.
  19. ↑ http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/patna/Railways-makes-trial-run-on-Munger-bridge/articleshow/50346048.cms
  20. ↑ "Nitish inaugurates construction of Ganga bridge connecting Bakhtiyarpur – Tajpur: bridge to open in 2015". Bihar Days. Retrieved 2011-07-06.
  21. ↑ Singh, Rakesh K. (2010-12-30). "Ganga link to connect Ara & Chhapra". Calcutta, India: The Telegraph, 30 December 2010. Retrieved 2011-07-06.
  22. ↑ "Four-lane connector over Sone, Ganga". Calcutta, India: The Telegraph, 8 April 2011. 2011-04-08. Retrieved 2011-07-06.

External links

External video
Ganga Rail-Cum-Road Bridge construction, Patna
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