Wordl's LONGEST second "Road cum Railway bridge" - Rajahmundry

World famous bridge Existed in Rajahmundry:

Rivers and sunsets are always a feast for the eyes and when the two decide to come together, the beauty simply hurts your eye because there is only so much beauty that your eye can take! Such was our state as we neared Rajahmundry at sun down. The course of Godavari has some amazing scenes and where better to behold her beauty than at Rajahmundry where she flows in all her might as the Akhanda Godavari. Even before we reached Rajahmundry where we were to camp for the night, we got a sample of what was coming. As you enter the Godavari districts, you become familiar with these sights.

Kovvur-Rajahmundry Bridge:

The Godavari Bridge or Kovvur-Rajahmundry Bridge is a truss bridge spanning Godavari river in Rajahmundry, India. It is Asia's second longest road-cum-rail bridge crossing a water body, after the Sky Gate Bridge in Kansai International Airport, Osaka. It is second of the three bridges that span the Godavari River at Rajahmundry. The Havelock Bridge being the earliest, was built in 1897, and having served its full utility, was decommissioned in 1997. The latest bridge is the Godavari Arch Bridge, a bowstring-girder bridge, built in 1997 and presently in service.

This bridge is the longest of its kind in Asia and second longest in the world. Its total lenght 4.732 Kms (4732 mts).Finished in 1972 and inaugurated by the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, its total construction cost is 63 crores in those days. Locally it is called Kovvur Bridge by people of Rajahmundry as it connects Rajahmundry city with kovvur town. Its also the most important connecting point of Agriculturally Rich East and west Godavari Districts.

History:

Construction

During the Third Five-Year plan doubling of railway track between Chennai-Howrah was planned. Most of the route had been doubled except the small stretch of track between Kovvur- Rajahmundry where a bridge had to be built to span the three kilometer long Godavari River. During 1964, the construction of second bridge across Godavari River at Rajahmundry was sanctioned as a part of doubling of track between Kovvur- Rajahmundry. But there had been a persistent demand from local population for construction of a road link between Kovvur- Rajahmundry, which would essentially link East Godavari and West Godavari districts. The Andhra Pradesh State Government came forward with the proposal to add a road deck over the rail bridge under construction as a part of doubling the railway track between Chennai - Howrah
It was commissioned by South Central Railway division of Indian Railways. Construction of the bridge began in early 1970s by Braithwaite, Burn & Jessop Construction Company, a group company of Bharat Bhari Udyog Nigam Limited. When completed it was Asia's longest rail -cum- Road Bridge.
It was inaugurated by the then President of India, Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed in 1977.

Old Bridge:





The Old Godavari Bridge or The Havelock Bridge is a decommissioned bridge that spans the Godavari River in Andhra Pradesh, India. Commissioned in 1900, the bridge served trains plying between Howrah and Madras. It is the earliest of three bridges that span the Godavari River at Rajahmundry. The Godavari Arch Bridge was later constructed as a replacement for the Havelock Bridge. The bridge along with the Godavari bridge and Godavari Arch Bridge is one of the most recognized symbols of Rajahmundry.

Godavari Arch Bridge:

The Godavari Arch Bridge is a bowstring-girder bridge that spans the Godavari River in Rajahmundry, India. It is the latest of the three bridges that span the Godavari River at Rajahmundry. The Havelock Bridge being the earliest, was built in 1897, and having served its full utility, was decommissioned in 1997. The second bridge known as the Godavari Bridge is a truss bridge and is Asia's second longest railroad bridge.
 The bridge is one of the longest span priestess’s 

concrete arch bridges in Asia. The Indian Railways who built this bridge have stated that "It is perhaps for the first time anywhere in the world that a bowstring arch girder using concrete has been constructed for such a long span of 97.55 meters (320.0 ft), and that too for the Railway loading.^" It has been widely used to represent Rajahmundry in arts, media, and culture. It is one of the recognized symbols of Rajahmundry.



How to reach:

Rajahmundry is on the National Highway 5 (NH5) which connects Calcutta - Chennai (Via Bhubaneswar - Visakhapatnam - Rajahmundry - Vijayawada).

For people coming from Hyderabad can board bussoes (both private and APSRTC) or number of trains.

It is directly connected to all the four metropolitan cities (Delhi, Mumbai, and Calcutta & Chennai) and also with other major cities like Bangalore, Hyderabad, Trivendrum etc.