Northern Railway speeds up work on new Yamuna Bridge

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 28

The Northern Railway has started working steadily for the construction of a new Yamuna Bridge in Delhi in replacement of the old Yamuna Bridge, which served as the signature bridge on the Delhi-Ghaziabad section for connecting the eastern parts to the mainline city.

The work of construction for the bridge was sanctioned in 1997-98 at an estimated cost of Rs 137 crore. As alignment of the old as well as proposed new bridge is passing through Salimgarh Fort, it required clearance from Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), which delayed the commencement of work, spokesperson for the Northern Railway said.

The work has been started following modification in approach alignment of the bridge, he said.

He said the Old Rail-cum-Road Yamuna Bridge (Loha Pul) near Red Fort was constructed in 1866 by East India Railway, British Government, initially as a single line bridge. It consists of 12 spans of 202.5 ft and two end spans of 34.5 ft each.

The bridge was converted into double line in 1913. 

Road deck was provided below rail line for movement of road traffic. Steel girders were replaced in 1933-34 to facilitate running of heavier axle load, by the British Company Braithwaite and Co (Ind.) Limited.

The bridge was designed and built across the Yamuna duly factoring in the occasional high floods witnessed in the river. The danger level at that time was considered 672 ft (above MSL) and accordingly the top of pier level was kept at 677 ft and bottom of girder at 680.6 ft.

As per the records available, the bridge had to be closed first time in 1956 when the flood level was recorded at 677 ft. Thereafter the bridge had to be closed in 1978 when the flood level was recorded as 681 ft. Subsequently, the bridge had to be closed for few days in each the years 1988, 1995, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2008, 2010 and 2013 due to flood level crossing the danger level.