Great Indian Peninsula Railway Bridges and Constructions

Great Indian Peninsula Railway (GIPR) - Bridges and Constructions

This listing is not complete.

1858-59 Report

The following is recorded in “Railways in India for the year 1858-59” for the ‘Great Indian Peninsula Railway - Physical Difficulties’ .

• The great physical difficulties which occur in the course of the railway are the mountains which separate Bombay from the Deccan, the ascent of which involves works of extraordinary magnitude and interest. Running parallel to the sea for many miles, this range has always formed a great barrier to the communication between the rich producing countries of the interior and the Port of Bombay. They will now be surmounted by the railway in its route both to the North-East and South-East. The former line crossing by the ‘Thull Ghat’, at an elevation of 1912 feet(582mtr) above the level of the sea, the latter by the ‘Bhore Ghat’at an elevation of 2037 feet(621mtr).
• ‘Thull Ghat’ - The incline is 9 miles(15km) in length; the total elevation is 972 feet(296mtr); the steepest gradient is 1 in 37 for 4 miles44 chains(7.3km), the sharpest curve is 15 chains(302mtr) radius; the length of tunnelling is 1962 yards(1794mtr). The estimated cost is Rs.49988 per mile.
• ‘Bhore Ghat’ - The incline is 14 miles(23km) in length; the total elevation is 1831 feet(558mtr); average gradient 1 in 48 with the steepest being 1 in 37 for 1 mile38 chains(2.4km) and 1 in 40 for 8 miles6 chains(14.1km); the sharpest curve being one of 15 chains(302mtr) and two of 20 chains(402mtr) radius; the length of tunnelling is 1 mile44 chains(2.3km). The estimated cost is Rs.48188 per mile.
• Besides these works, there are several bridges of considerable magnitude:-
  • ‘Tannah Viaduct’ over the Tannah Estuary, which is carried on masonry arches of 30 feet(9.1mtr) span. This viaduct is divided , one portion consisting of nine arches of 30 feet (9.1mtr) span and another of 14 spans, between the two is an iron girder opening of 84 feet(25.6mtr) span.
• One source of difficulty which has been experienced in the construction of bridges in other parts of India is not felt in these works, as most of them are built on good rock foundations
• On the ‘North-East Line’
  • ‘Taptree River Bridge’ (Bhusawal)
  • ‘Nerbudda River Bridge’ (Itarsi-Jubblepore)
  • Wangoon River Bridge
  • Bola River Bridge
• On the ‘South-East Line’
  • Beema River Bridge
  • Seena River Bridge
  • Moola River Bridge

See Also

• Separate pages from listing above where ‘marked thus’
• ‘Great Indian Peninsula Railway’(GIPR) Main page
• ‘GIPR Lines Owned and Worked’