Elgin Bridge (Barabanki)

Coordinates: 27°5′52.5″N 81°28′50″E / 27.097917°N 81.48056°E / 27.097917; 81.48056
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27°5′52.5″N 81°28′50″E / 27.097917°N 81.48056°E / 27.097917; 81.48056

Elgin Bridge
Coordinates27°05′53″N 81°28′50″E / 27.09792°N 81.48056°E / 27.09792; 81.48056
CarriesRailways
CrossesConfluence of Ghaghara River & Sharda River
LocaleBarabanki district
Official nameElgin Bridge
Characteristics
Total length3,695 feet (1,126 m)
History
Construction start1894
Construction end1896
Opened18 December 1896 in Meter Gauge; Re-open on 1990 in Broad Gauge
Statistics
Daily trafficLucknow - Gorakhpur Railway Mainline
Location
Map

Elgin Bridge is a 3,695 feet (1,126 m) long railway bridge across the Ghaghra River located in Barabanki district.[1] The bridge falls on the Barabanki-Gonda section of the North Eastern Railway zone of Indian Railways.[2] The bridge is about 72 kilometres (45 mi) from Lucknow and stands at periodically changing confluence of two rivers i.e. Sharda River and Ghaghara River.[3][4] The bridge was built on dry land and then the river was trained under it.[5]

History & Details[edit]

The bridge construction started in 1894 & was completed in 1896. It was opened on 18 December 1896 having Meter Gauge track with the opening of Jarwal Road - Behramghat section of the Bengal and North Western Railway.[6] The bridge is named after Lord Elgin, Governor-General of India (21 March 1862 – 20 November 1863). Before construction of Elgin Bridge and opening of railways between Gonda and Barabanki most of the trade was done by the river route, once the bridge was constructed the river trade decreased greatly.[7] The bridge was closed for gauge conversion in 1987/88 and was later re-opened in 1989/90 with broad gauge track. Another bridge was constructed and opened parallel to the Elgin Bridge on 2010/11 during the doubling of the Lucknow - Gorakhpur railway mainline.

Importance[edit]

The bridge is an important point of experiment, research and monitoring for irrigation and flood related activities.[8] There is a flood water level recording and forecasting station at the Elgin Bridge which records rise and fall in the Ghaghra River.[9][10] Tehsil Ram Sanehi Ghat is threatened as soon as water crosses 347 ft mark at the Elgin Bridge.[11]

Elgin-Charsari embankment[edit]

The Elgin-Charsari embankment is on the border of Barabanki district with Gonda district in Uttar Pradesh. The Elgin Charsari embankment runs along the river Ghagra in Barabanki and Gonda districts. The embankment is 52 km long, it starts from Elgin Bridge at Barabanki to Charsari village which is in Gonda district. When the embankment breaches several villages of district Barabanki and district Gonda are affected badly.[12] In 2010 the embankment faced breach at kilometer 15 in front of Parsawal village and due to breach approximately 150 villages and 2.5 lakhs people were affected in district Barabanki and Gonda.[13]

References[edit]

  1. ^ John Murray (1929). Murray's Handbook, India, Pakistan, Burma & Ceylon. J. Murray. p. 466. Retrieved 29 June 2013.
  2. ^ Indian Railways, Volume 32. India. Railway Board. 1987. p. 11. Retrieved 29 June 2013.
  3. ^ International Railway Progress. Tothill Press. 1984. p. 77. Retrieved 29 June 2013.
  4. ^ National Seminar on Real-Time Hydrological Forecasting: papers for discussion : 31 October 1984 and 1 November 1984. India. Central Water Commission, India. Central Board of Irrigation and Power. 1984. pp. 412, 415, 420. Retrieved 29 June 2013.
  5. ^ William Wilson Hunter; James Sutherland Cotton; Richard Burn; William Stevenson Meyer (1908). Volume 12 of Imperial gazetteers of India, Imperial gazetteers of India Gazetteers of British India, 1833-1962 India gazetteers. Clarendon Press. p. 303. Retrieved 30 June 2013.
  6. ^ "Indian Railways line history" (PDF). p. 2. Retrieved 30 June 2013.
  7. ^ District Gazetteers of the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh, Volume 44. United Provinces of Agra and Oudh (India). 1921. pp. 9, 58, 59. Retrieved 30 June 2013.
  8. ^ Central Board of Irrigation Journal, Volume 7. Central Board of Irrigation India. 1950. pp. 266, 597, 679. Retrieved 30 June 2013.
  9. ^ "Uttar Pradesh Situation Report" (PDF). Sphere India. 10 October 2009. p. 5. Retrieved 30 June 2013.
  10. ^ "Sphere India Situation Report 2" (PDF). Sphere India. 2 August 2011. pp. 1, 2. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 2013-06-30.
  11. ^ Uttar Pradesh district gazetteers, Volume 42 Gazetteer of India Uttar Pradesh District Gazetteers, Uttar Pradesh (India). Govt. of Uttar Pradesh. 1988. pp. 7, 101, 104. Retrieved 30 June 2013.
  12. ^ http://www.pressreader.com/india/hindustan-times-lucknow/20171025/281792809275721. Retrieved 20 August 2018 – via PressReader. {{cite news}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  13. ^ "Situation assessment Report - Critical Situation of Elgin Charsadi Embankment" (PDF). Inter Agency Group - Uttar Pradesh (Iag - Up). 29 July 2011. Retrieved 20 August 2018.