Naini Bridge

Naini Bridge – Photograph 1 Wikipedia

Naini Bridge also known as the Jamuna Bridge or Jumna Bridge in some old records. see footnote.

The Naini Bridge is now called the "Old Naini Bridge (Allahabad)" to distinguish it from the Yamuna Railway Bridge (Delhi) .

Photograph 1 described as "Railway Bridge across the Jumna at Allahabad" taken by photographer Samuel Bourne (1834 -1912) as given in Wikipedia.

Naini Bridge - Photograph 2 Royal Collection

Photograph 2 described as “Mahahare Railway Bridge” taken by photographer Samuel Bourne (1834 -1912) in the Royal Collection Trust ‘Mahahare Railway Bridge at Allahabad (near view)’: Prince of Wales Tour of India 1875-6.

These two photographs show that are of the same Bridge, the origin of Mahahare has not been determined.

The Bridge

The original Naini Bridge is one of the longest and oldest bridges in India, carrying the ‘East Indian Railway’(EIR) and crossed the Jamuna River at Naini, near Allahabad .

George Sibley, Chief Engineer, was the Engineer-in-Charge of construction and the following is stated in the "History of the East Indian Railway ..." by George Huddlestone page 42

• 'The bridge over the Jumna at Allahabad was opened for traffic on the 15th August, 1865. It had taken nearly 8 years to construct and its completion wm a subject for much congratulation; it was the middle link in the long chain of unbroken communication established by the East Indian Railway, for the first time in the history of India, between the right bank of the Hooghly at Calcutta and the left bank of the Jumna at Delhi. Mr. Sibley, the Chief Engineer of the North-West Provinces and Messrs. Collett and Donne, the District and Assistant Engineers and the subordinate staff under them received the thanks of Government and the encomiums of the Board.'

The bridge opened in 1865 to provide a through line from Howrah (on the right bank of the Hoogly River facing Calcutta) to Agra (on the left bank of the Jamuna River facing Agra, a line length of 1017 miles(1630km) .

The location of the bridge between Naini and Allahabad had been decided as early as 1855. The actual work began in 1859 and the bridge was opened for public on August 15, 1865. By then, rail lines on both sides of the bridge to Delhi and Howrah was almost complete. The length of the bridge is 3,150 feet (960mtr). It comprises 14 spans of 200 feet(61mtr) clear and two of 60 feet(18mtr). The bridge has a railway line on the top and a roadway beneath . It was designed by the EIR Consulting Engineer Alexander Meadows Rendel and his father James Meadows Rendel . The depth of foundation below is up to 42 feet and the height from low water level to underside of girder is 58.75 feet. The weight of the girder is 4,300 tons. It is estimated that about 2.5 million cubic feet of masonry and brick work was used in it . The foundations were designed by Mr Edward Purser.

The stone for the bridge construction was from the Purtabore Stone Quarry where a tramway carried the stone to the bank of the River Jamuna for shipment to the site ..

In 1927-29, the old girders were replaced by new ones and the lower deck was added for roadway services. The upper deck being the two lane railway line which connects Naini Junction railway station to Allahabad Junction railway station

Footnote - The Jamuna River, also in some documents named Jumna River is now called the Yamuna River .