Why Howrah Bridge is called the ‘Gateway to Kolkata’ and other unknown facts

Howrah Bridge erected above the Hooghly river is not only a building but is a landmark in a great way depicts Kolkata. The bridge is a witness to the day-to-day hustle and bustle of life of Kolkata and various tales of individuals. This grand bridge is one of the famous tourist attractions of Kolkata and evokes curiosity and wonder in all the individuals who get to see it.

Howrah Bridge is not even the actual name of the bridge. It used to be called 'New Howrah Bridge' so that the locals could recognize it separately from the previous pontoon structure, but later it was renamed 'Rabindra Setu' in 1965 as a tribute to Rabindranath Tagore, India's Nobel laureate poet. It is legally known as 'Rabindra Setu' but the locals find it convenient to call it the Howrah Bridge, and today it is part of the identity of the bridge.

Prior to this bridge being built, there had been a pontoon bridge here, which was built in 1874 and was special in its own right. The pontoon bridge was capable of being opened to let river traffic pass through it as well as having the first electric lights in India, which were supplied from a local dynamo. Over time, it became necessary to install a stronger and more permanent crossing as the traffic grew, and thus the new cantilever bridge was built.

The most unusual feature of this bridge is that it was built without using nuts or bolts. The whole bridge is made up of steel rivets; more than 26,500 tons of steel were used to construct this bridge, and the major portion of it was provided by Tata Steel in Jamshedpur. The method of riveting assisted in the strength of joints as well as in higher durability in the future, because the weather here is very humid and there is a corrosive river environment too.

It is one of the world's busiest cantilever bridges. It has been subjected to traffic of approximately 100,000 vehicles .Trams previously passed through this bridge but were subsequently withdrawn due to the growing load on the bridge.

This bridge serves as the 'gateway of Kolkata,' which ties the city to Howrah Junction railway station directly. The location of the bridge has established it as a key component of individuals departing and arriving in Kolkata. This bridge is also significant because it connects the twin towns of Howrah and Kolkata; a commerce, commuters, and travel lifeline. Howrah Bridge is now the sixth-longest of its kind in the world.

The bridge is also of huge cultural importance. It is symbolic of Kolkata and of India's strength and cultural prosperity. The majestic bridge has also been used as a backdrop in a tremendous amount of films. Some of these include Howrah Bridge (1958), Yuva (2004), Parineeta (2005), Kahaani (2012), Barfi! (2012), Gunday (2014), and Detective Byomkesh Bakshy! (2015).

The concept of the bridge was conceived in the early 20th century, but it commenced construction in 1936. It was opened in 1943 during World War II and became a living architectural wonder.