Golden bridge

The Golden Bridge connects Ankleshwar to Bharuch in the Gujarat state of western India. It was built in 1881 by the British, who needed a bridge across the Narmada River to create better access to trade and administration officials in Bombay (now called Mumbai).^[1]The bridge is also called the Narmada Bridge.

Golden Bridge Narmada Bridge
Golden Bridge viewed from railway bridge
Coordinates	21°41′36″N 73°00′18″E
Carries	Road
Crosses	Narmada River
Locale	Bharuch and Ankleshwar in India
Characteristics
Design	Through arch bridge
Total length	1,412 m (4,633 ft)
History
Construction start	7 December 1877
Construction end	16 May 1881
Location
Wikimedia | © OpenStreetMap

Golden bridge on Narmada river

ConstructionEdit

The British started construction on the iron bridge on 7 December 1877. The bridge was contracted by the Bombay, Baroda, and Central India Railway and was designed by Sir John Hawkshaw.^[2] The bridge was completed on 16 May 1881 at a cost of Rs 45.65 lakhs. Originally named the Narmada Bridge, it would come to be known as the Golden Bridge on account of the heavy expenditure incurred during construction due to damage from heavy water flow.

After independence, it became part of the national highway. However, the flow of heavy traffic would be reduced after a new bridge on Narmada was built.

The length of the Golden Bridge is 1412 m.