British legacy that has left a permanent mark on February 3, 1943. This bridge was once the capital of  British India.

• ·        This bridge is the busiest cantilever bridge in the world,
• ·        the earliest among the  four  bridges on the Hooghly River and,
• ·        Currently, the sixth-longest bridge of its type in the world.

The bridge was originally named the New Howrah Bridge, because it replaced a pontoon bridge at the same location linking the two cities of Howrah and Kolkata (Calcutta). On 14 June 1965 it was renamed as Rabindra Setu after the great Bengali poet Rabindranath Tagore (first Indian and Asian Nobel laureate) It is still popularly known as the Howrah Bridge. The bridge had celebrated its 75th anniversary on February 3, 2018. It serves as a crucial gateway to the city for one lakh+ vehicles and over 1.5 lakh pedestrians daily.

Brief History of 'pontoon bridge'

In view of the increasing traffic across the Hooghly river, a committee was appointed in 1855-56 to review alternatives for constructing a bridge across it. The plan was shelved in 1859-60, to be revived in 1868, when it was decided that a bridge should be constructed and a newly appointed trust vested to manage it. The Calcutta Port Trust was founded in 1870 and the Legislative department of the then Government of Bengal passed the Howrah Bridge Act in the year 1871 under the Bengal Act IX of 1871 empowering the Lieutenant-Governor to have the bridge constructed with Government capital under the aegis of the Port Commissioners. Eventually a contract was signed with Sir Bradford Leslieto construct a pontoon bridge(The old pontoon bridge that was later replaced by the Howrah Bridge). Different parts were constructed in England and shipped to Calcutta, where they were assembled for the construction of the bridge. The assembling period was gone through many difficulties and hurdles. The bridge was damaged by the great cyclone on 20 March. later, a steamer named 'Egeria' broke from her moorings and collided head-on with the bridge, sinking three pontoons and damaging nearly 200 feet of the bridge. After the couple of years the bridge was successfully completed in 1874 at a total cost of ₹2.2 million and opened to traffic on 17 October of that year. The bridge was then 1528 ft. long and 62 ft. wide, with 7-foot wide pavements on either side.

Planning and construction of --- 'Howrah Bridge'

In 1922 the New Howrah Bridge Commission was set up. In 1926 the New Howrah Bridge Act passed. In 1930 the Goode Committee was formed comprising S.W. Goode as President, S.N. Mallick, and W.H. Thompson, to investigate and report on the advisability of constructing a pier bridge between Calcutta and Howrah. Based on their recommendation, M/s. Rendel, Palmer and Tritton were asked to consider the construction of a suspension bridge of a particular design prepared by their chief draftsman Mr. Walton. On basis of the report, a global tender was floated. The lowest bid came from a German company, but due to increasing political tensions between Germany and Great Britain in 1935, the contract was not given to them. "The fabrication and erection work was awarded to a local engineering firm of Howrah: The Braithwaite, Burn & Jessop Construction Co..The Braithwaite, Burn & Jessop Construction Co. was also awarded the construction contract that year". The New Howrah Bridge Act was amended in 1935 to reflect this, and construction of the bridge started the next year.

           The bridge doesn't have nuts and bolts but was formed by riveting the whole structure. It consumed 26,500 tons of steel, out of which 23,000 tons of high-tensile alloy steel, known as Tiscrom, were supplied by Tata Steel. The main tower was constructed with single monolith caissons of dimensions 55.31 x 24.8 m with 21 shafts, each 6.25 metre square. The two anchorage caissons were each 16.4 m by 8.2 m, with two wells 4.9 m square. The caissons were so designed that the working chambers within the shafts could be temporarily enclosed by steel diaphragms to allow work under compressed air if required. The caisson at Kolkata side was set at 31.41 m and that at Howrah side at 26.53 m below ground level.

         The bridge doesn't have nuts and bolts but was formed by riveting the whole structure. It consumed 26,500 tons of steel, out of which 23,000 tons of high-tensile alloy steel, known as Tiscrom, were supplied by Tata Steel. The main tower was constructed with single monolith caissons of dimensions 55.31 x 24.8 m with 21 shafts, each 6.25 metre square. The two anchorage caissons were each 16.4 m by 8.2 m, with two wells 4.9 m square. The caissons were so designed that the working chambers within the shafts could be temporarily enclosed by steel diaphragms to allow work under compressed air if required. The caisson at Kolkata side was set at 31.41 m and that at Howrah side at 26.53 m below ground level.

           By the end of 1940, the erection of the cantilevered arms was commenced and was completed in mid-summer of 1941. The two halves of the suspended span, each 282 feet (86 m) long and weighing 2,000 tons, were built in December 1941. The bridge was erected by commencing at the two anchor spans and advancing towards the center, with the use of creeper cranes moving along the upper chord. 16 hydraulic jacks, each of which had an 800-ton capacity, were pressed into service to join the two halves of the suspended span. The entire project cost ₹25 million.The project was a pioneer in bridge construction particularly in India.

The first vehicle to use the bridge was a 'solitary tram'. The bridge is regarded "the gateway to Kolkata, as it connects the city to the "Howrah Station"

Present Status of the Bridge as per -"Anandabazar Patrika"

• Bridge is open to traffic round the clock except for goods vehicles, Inter- State transport buses and All India Tourist buses (only Three- -Wheeler-Goods vehicles are allowed at night).
• Special repairs and restoration of bearings in the under-structures  have been completed.
• Total renewal of mastic asphalt topping of bridge was completed in December 2006.
• Bank protection scheme around Tower Monoliths is being finalized.
• Decorative Illumination of the Bridge Structure was inaugurated in 23.11.2006 and is operated daily.
• Close Circuit T.V is being installed in the Deck level and under structure of the Bridge to monitor the traffic at the deck level and along the river.or routine inspection.
• Thorough painting of the bridge was completed in June 2005.

7 tourist place in Pakistan

7 tourist places in Pakistan

 The famous tourist places in Pakistan you are not aware of..

A Glance on Pakistan

Pakistan is a country in South Asia. Pakistan is officially known as the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.It is the thirty-third largest country. The area covered is 8,81,913 square kilometers. Pakistan has a 1046 kilometer coastline along the Arabian Sea. Afghanistan is faced toward the west; Iran is faced towards the southwest. It is separated narrowly from Tajikistan. 

1. BADSHAHI MOSQUE in Lahore

BADSHAI MOSQUE, LAHORE

The Badshahi Mosque in Lahore is constructed in Mughal era in Lahore, the mosque is located in west of Lahore Fort in the outskirts of the Walled City of Lahore. Badshahi Mosque was commissioned by Aurangzeb in the year 1671, with construction of the mosque lasting for two years until 1673. The mosque is the example of Mughal architecture, with an exterior that is decorated with carved red sandstone with marble inlay. It is still the largest and most recent of the grand imperial mosques of the Mughal era in Pakistan.The Mosque is widely considered to be one of Lahore's most iconic landmark.

2. HUNZA VALLEY in Hunza

  HUNZA VALLEY

Hunza Valley in Hunza formerly a princely state bordering Xinjiang to the North-East and Pamir to the North-West. Hunza Valley survived until 1974 and after that it finally dissolved by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. Hunza was an independent principality for  Nine-hundred years, until the british gained control of it and the neighboring valley of Nagar in between-1892 through a military conquest.

3. Masjid Wazir Khan (Wazir Khan Mosque)

WASIR-KHAN MOSQUE

The Wazir Khan constructed in Seventeenth century in the city of Lahore. The Construction of Wazir Khan Mosque began in the year of 1634 and was completed in 1641. The Wazir Khan Mosque was considered to be the most ornately decorated Mughal-era mosque and it was commissioned during the reign of the Mughal Emperor ShahJahan. The mosque is known for its intricate faiencetile work known as kashikari, as well as its interior surfaces that are almost entirely embellished with elaborate Mughal-era frescoes.

4. Faisal Mosque Islamabad

faisal mosque, Islamabad

Faisal Mosque is situated in Islamabad, Pakistan. The Construction of the mosque began in 1976. The famous Mosque is Located on the foothills of Margalla Hills which is in Islamabad, the mosque has a contemporary design consisting of eight sides of concrete shell. The mosque is one of the major tourist attractions in Pakistan and referred as a contemporary and influential feature of Islamic architecture.

5. Altit Fort, Hunza

Altit Fort is a famous fort at Altit town in the Hunza valley in Gilgit Baltistan. Altit Fort is around 1100 years old which makes it the oldest monument in the Gilgit–Baltistan. It was the original home to the hereditary rulers of the Hunza state, who carried the title Mir.

6. Margalla Hills Islamabad 

The Margalla Hills is a part of the Himalayan foothills located within the Margalla Hills National Park at North of Islamabad in Pakistan. On 6^th January2012 this place received the highest tourist spot. The Margalla range has an area of 12,605 hectares. The hills are the part of Murree hills.    

7. Pakistan Monument Museum Islamabad

The Pakistan Monument is one of the national monument and this heritage museum located on the western side of Shakarparian Hills in Islamabad in Pakistan. It’s elevation makes the monument visible from across the Islamabad-Rawalpindi metropolitan area and is a popular tourist destination. The monument constructed for symbolize the unity of the Pakistani people

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Howrah Bridge- now at the age of 75"

British legacy that has left a permanent mark on February 3, 1943. This bridge was once the capital of  British India.

• ·        This bridge is the busiest cantilever bridge in the world,
• ·        the earliest among the  four  bridges on the Hooghly River and,
• ·        Currently, the sixth-longest bridge of its type in the world.

The bridge was originally named the New Howrah Bridge, because it replaced a pontoon bridge at the same location linking the two cities of Howrah and Kolkata (Calcutta). On 14 June 1965 it was renamed as Rabindra Setu after the great Bengali poet Rabindranath Tagore (first Indian and Asian Nobel laureate) It is still popularly known as the Howrah Bridge. The bridge had celebrated its 75th anniversary on February 3, 2018. It serves as a crucial gateway to the city for one lakh+ vehicles and over 1.5 lakh pedestrians daily.

Brief History of 'pontoon bridge'

In view of the increasing traffic across the Hooghly river, a committee was appointed in 1855-56 to review alternatives for constructing a bridge across it. The plan was shelved in 1859-60, to be revived in 1868, when it was decided that a bridge should be constructed and a newly appointed trust vested to manage it. The Calcutta Port Trust was founded in 1870 and the Legislative department of the then Government of Bengal passed the Howrah Bridge Act in the year 1871 under the Bengal Act IX of 1871 empowering the Lieutenant-Governor to have the bridge constructed with Government capital under the aegis of the Port Commissioners. Eventually a contract was signed with Sir Bradford Leslieto construct a pontoon bridge(The old pontoon bridge that was later replaced by the Howrah Bridge). Different parts were constructed in England and shipped to Calcutta, where they were assembled for the construction of the bridge. The assembling period was gone through many difficulties and hurdles. The bridge was damaged by the great cyclone on 20 March. later, a steamer named 'Egeria' broke from her moorings and collided head-on with the bridge, sinking three pontoons and damaging nearly 200 feet of the bridge. After the couple of years the bridge was successfully completed in 1874 at a total cost of ₹2.2 million and opened to traffic on 17 October of that year. The bridge was then 1528 ft. long and 62 ft. wide, with 7-foot wide pavements on either side.

Planning and construction of --- 'Howrah Bridge'

In 1922 the New Howrah Bridge Commission was set up. In 1926 the New Howrah Bridge Act passed. In 1930 the Goode Committee was formed comprising S.W. Goode as President, S.N. Mallick, and W.H. Thompson, to investigate and report on the advisability of constructing a pier bridge between Calcutta and Howrah. Based on their recommendation, M/s. Rendel, Palmer and Tritton were asked to consider the construction of a suspension bridge of a particular design prepared by their chief draftsman Mr. Walton. On basis of the report, a global tender was floated. The lowest bid came from a German company, but due to increasing political tensions between Germany and Great Britain in 1935, the contract was not given to them. "The fabrication and erection work was awarded to a local engineering firm of Howrah: The Braithwaite, Burn & Jessop Construction Co..The Braithwaite, Burn & Jessop Construction Co. was also awarded the construction contract that year". The New Howrah Bridge Act was amended in 1935 to reflect this, and construction of the bridge started the next year.

           The bridge doesn't have nuts and bolts but was formed by riveting the whole structure. It consumed 26,500 tons of steel, out of which 23,000 tons of high-tensile alloy steel, known as Tiscrom, were supplied by Tata Steel. The main tower was constructed with single monolith caissons of dimensions 55.31 x 24.8 m with 21 shafts, each 6.25 metre square. The two anchorage caissons were each 16.4 m by 8.2 m, with two wells 4.9 m square. The caissons were so designed that the working chambers within the shafts could be temporarily enclosed by steel diaphragms to allow work under compressed air if required. The caisson at Kolkata side was set at 31.41 m and that at Howrah side at 26.53 m below ground level.

         The bridge doesn't have nuts and bolts but was formed by riveting the whole structure. It consumed 26,500 tons of steel, out of which 23,000 tons of high-tensile alloy steel, known as Tiscrom, were supplied by Tata Steel. The main tower was constructed with single monolith caissons of dimensions 55.31 x 24.8 m with 21 shafts, each 6.25 metre square. The two anchorage caissons were each 16.4 m by 8.2 m, with two wells 4.9 m square. The caissons were so designed that the working chambers within the shafts could be temporarily enclosed by steel diaphragms to allow work under compressed air if required. The caisson at Kolkata side was set at 31.41 m and that at Howrah side at 26.53 m below ground level.

           By the end of 1940, the erection of the cantilevered arms was commenced and was completed in mid-summer of 1941. The two halves of the suspended span, each 282 feet (86 m) long and weighing 2,000 tons, were built in December 1941. The bridge was erected by commencing at the two anchor spans and advancing towards the center, with the use of creeper cranes moving along the upper chord. 16 hydraulic jacks, each of which had an 800-ton capacity, were pressed into service to join the two halves of the suspended span. The entire project cost ₹25 million.The project was a pioneer in bridge construction particularly in India.

The first vehicle to use the bridge was a 'solitary tram'. The bridge is regarded "the gateway to Kolkata, as it connects the city to the "Howrah Station"

Present Status of the Bridge as per -"Anandabazar Patrika"

• Bridge is open to traffic round the clock except for goods vehicles, Inter- State transport buses and All India Tourist buses (only Three- -Wheeler-Goods vehicles are allowed at night).
• Special repairs and restoration of bearings in the under-structures  have been completed.
• Total renewal of mastic asphalt topping of bridge was completed in December 2006.
• Bank protection scheme around Tower Monoliths is being finalized.
• Decorative Illumination of the Bridge Structure was inaugurated in 23.11.2006 and is operated daily.
• Close Circuit T.V is being installed in the Deck level and under structure of the Bridge to monitor the traffic at the deck level and along the river.or routine inspection.
• Thorough painting of the bridge was completed in June 2005.