Hardinge Bridge
Encyclopedia
Hardinge Bridge is a steel
railway bridge over the river Padma
located in western Bangladesh
. It is named after Lord Hardinge
, who was the Viceroy
of India
from 1910 to 1916. The bridge is 1.8 kilometers (1.1 mi) long.
and discussed for more than twenty years before it was finally sanctioned for construction in 1908. In 1902, Sir FJE Spring prepared a detailed project on the bridge. A technical committee appointed in 1908 reported that a bridge could be constructed at Sara crossing the lower Ganges between Paksey and Bheramara Upazila
stations on the broad gauge railway from Khulna
to Parbatipur Upazila
. The construction of the bridge started in 1910 and finished in 1912. British engineer Sir Robert Gailes worked as the chief engineer of the construction. On 1 January 1915, the first trial train crossed the bridge down track and on 25 February of the same year the second trial train crossed the bridge up track. Finally on 4 March 1915 Lord Hardinge inaugurated the bridge. A total of 24,000 people were employed for constructing the bridge.
The Hardinge Bridge is 1.8 km long. There are 16 piers of castion type made of concrete cubes with a portion of above water level made of steel. The bridge comprises 15 steel trusses through spans each of 345 feet 11/2 inches from centre to centre of bearing (308 feet 11/2 inches clear span) with 6 deck type steel girders by approach spans (3 at each end), each of 75 feet (22.9 m) centre to centre of bearings (66 feet clear span approximately). The main girders are modified 'Petit' type.
The original steel
of Hardinge Bridge is of mild steel type equivalent to grade 43 of BS 4360 having yield stress of 20.8 tons/sq inch; ultimate tensile strength of 30.6 tons/sq inch at an elongation of 23%. The original design loading for the girders was Indian Railway broad gauge B of 1903+33% with an impact allowance giving a total live load of 1927 tons on two tracks. The total cost of construction of the bridge, including the main spans, land spans, training work and approaches was 35,132,164. However, the most difficult task of the operation was river control or to make the impetuous river flow permanently under the bridge. For this, two guide banks of the 'Bell-bound' type named after Mr. J.R.Bell were built on either side, each totaling 4,000' long extending 3,000' above the bridge and 1,000' downstream. The ends of the river banks were curved inward and heavily pitched with stoned boulders.
The Harding's Bridge was severely damaged during the Liberation War of Bangladesh of 1971. It happened on the 13th December 1971, when the Indian Air Force
plane bombed on the 4th guarder from the Paksey side. As the Pakistani army was on retreat towards Jessore (their last stronghold) the Harding's bridge was strategically very important.The allied force damaged the bridge. After the liberation, the bridge was reopened on 12 October 1972, repaired by the joint venture of Bangladesh Railway
and the Eastern India Railway of India
. The Japan
ese Government helped to reconstruct the bridge.
It is the second largest railway bridge in Bangladesh
. Another bridge named Lalon Shah Bridge
for road transport beside the Hardinge Bridge has recently been constructed.
Steel
Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...
railway bridge over the river Padma
Padma River
The Padma is a major trans-boundary river in Bangladesh. It is the main distributary of the Ganges , which originates in the Himalayas. The Padma enters Bangladesh from India near Chapai Nababganj...
located in western Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
. It is named after Lord Hardinge
Baron Hardinge of Penshurst
Baron Hardinge of Penshurst, in the County of Kent, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1910 for the diplomat the Hon. Sir Charles Hardinge, Viceroy and Governor-General of India from 1910 to 1916. He was the second son of Charles Hardinge, 2nd Viscount Hardinge...
, who was the Viceroy
Viceroy
A viceroy is a royal official who runs a country, colony, or province in the name of and as representative of the monarch. The term derives from the Latin prefix vice-, meaning "in the place of" and the French word roi, meaning king. A viceroy's province or larger territory is called a viceroyalty...
of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
from 1910 to 1916. The bridge is 1.8 kilometers (1.1 mi) long.
Construction
Construction of the bridge began in 1910, though it was proposed at least 20 years earlier. It took almost 2 years for it to be completed, and trains started moving on it in 1915 .Brief history
The construction of a railway Bridge over the Padma was proposed by the Eastern Bengal Railway in 1889 for easier communication between Calcutta and the then Eastern Bengal and AssamAssam
Assam , also, rarely, Assam Valley and formerly the Assam Province , is a northeastern state of India and is one of the most culturally and geographically distinct regions of the country...
and discussed for more than twenty years before it was finally sanctioned for construction in 1908. In 1902, Sir FJE Spring prepared a detailed project on the bridge. A technical committee appointed in 1908 reported that a bridge could be constructed at Sara crossing the lower Ganges between Paksey and Bheramara Upazila
Bheramara Upazila
Bheramara is an Upazila of Kushtia District in the Division of Khulna, Bangladesh.-Geography:Bheramara is located at . It has 26384 units of house hold and total area 153.72 km².-Demographics:...
stations on the broad gauge railway from Khulna
Khulna
Khulna is the third largest city in Bangladesh. It is located on the banks of the Rupsha and Bhairab rivers in Khulna District. It is the divisional headquarters of Khulna Division and a major industrial and commercial center. It has a seaport named Mongla on its outskirts, 38 km from Khulna...
to Parbatipur Upazila
Parbatipur Upazila
Parbatipur is an Upazila of Dinajpur District in the Division of Rangpur, Bangladesh.-Geography:Parbatipur is located at . It has 53146 units of house hold and total area 395.1 km².-Demographics:...
. The construction of the bridge started in 1910 and finished in 1912. British engineer Sir Robert Gailes worked as the chief engineer of the construction. On 1 January 1915, the first trial train crossed the bridge down track and on 25 February of the same year the second trial train crossed the bridge up track. Finally on 4 March 1915 Lord Hardinge inaugurated the bridge. A total of 24,000 people were employed for constructing the bridge.
The Hardinge Bridge is 1.8 km long. There are 16 piers of castion type made of concrete cubes with a portion of above water level made of steel. The bridge comprises 15 steel trusses through spans each of 345 feet 11/2 inches from centre to centre of bearing (308 feet 11/2 inches clear span) with 6 deck type steel girders by approach spans (3 at each end), each of 75 feet (22.9 m) centre to centre of bearings (66 feet clear span approximately). The main girders are modified 'Petit' type.
The original steel
Steel
Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...
of Hardinge Bridge is of mild steel type equivalent to grade 43 of BS 4360 having yield stress of 20.8 tons/sq inch; ultimate tensile strength of 30.6 tons/sq inch at an elongation of 23%. The original design loading for the girders was Indian Railway broad gauge B of 1903+33% with an impact allowance giving a total live load of 1927 tons on two tracks. The total cost of construction of the bridge, including the main spans, land spans, training work and approaches was 35,132,164. However, the most difficult task of the operation was river control or to make the impetuous river flow permanently under the bridge. For this, two guide banks of the 'Bell-bound' type named after Mr. J.R.Bell were built on either side, each totaling 4,000' long extending 3,000' above the bridge and 1,000' downstream. The ends of the river banks were curved inward and heavily pitched with stoned boulders.
The Harding's Bridge was severely damaged during the Liberation War of Bangladesh of 1971. It happened on the 13th December 1971, when the Indian Air Force
Indian Air Force
The Indian Air Force is the air arm of the Indian armed forces. Its primary responsibility is to secure Indian airspace and to conduct aerial warfare during a conflict...
plane bombed on the 4th guarder from the Paksey side. As the Pakistani army was on retreat towards Jessore (their last stronghold) the Harding's bridge was strategically very important.The allied force damaged the bridge. After the liberation, the bridge was reopened on 12 October 1972, repaired by the joint venture of Bangladesh Railway
Bangladesh Railway
Bangladesh Railway is the state-owned rail transport agency of Bangladesh. It operates and maintains the entire railway network of the country...
and the Eastern India Railway of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. The Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese Government helped to reconstruct the bridge.
It is the second largest railway bridge in Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
. Another bridge named Lalon Shah Bridge
Lalon Shah Bridge
Lalon Shah Bridge is a road bridge in Bangladesh over the river Padma, situated between Ishwardi Upazila of Pabna on the east, and Bheramara Upazila of Kushtia on the west...
for road transport beside the Hardinge Bridge has recently been constructed.
