Hardinge Bridge (Bengali: হার্ডিঞ্জ ব্রিজ) is a steel railway bridge over the river Padma located at Paksey in western Bangladesh. It is named after Lord Hardinge, who was the Viceroy of India from 1910 to 1916. The bridge is 1.8 kilometers (1.1 mi) long. It is named after Lord Hardinge. From 1910-1916 he was the Viceroy of India. Its construction began in 1910 and ended in 1912, though it was proposed two decades ago. There was train movement on it from 1915. There was proposal of constructing a railway bridge over Padma. Eastern Bengal Railway laid the proposal in 1889.The motive of constructing this bridge was to ease communication between Eastern part of Bengal and Kolkata.
The construction of a railway bridge over the Padma was proposed in 1889 by the Eastern Bengal Railway for easier communication between Calcutta and the then Eastern Bengal and Assam. In 1902, Sir FJE Spring prepared a report on the bridge. A technical committee reported that a bridge could be constructed at Sara crossing the lowerGanges between the Paksey and Bheramara Upazila stations on the broad gauge railway from Khulna to Parbatipur Upazila. The construction of the bridge started in 1910 and finished two years later. The bridge comprises 15 steel trusses. The main girders are modified “Petit” type.
The most difficult task of the operation was to prevent bank erosion and to make the river flow permanently under the bridge. For this, two guide banks of the “Bell-bund” type named after J. R. Bell were built on either side, each extending 910 metres (3,000 ft) upstream and 300 metres (1,000 ft) downstream from the bridge.[2] The ends of the river banks were curved inward and heavily pitched with stone.
Hardinge Bridge was severely damaged during the Liberation War of Bangladesh of 1971. It happened on 13 December 1971, when the Indian Air Force plane bombed on the 4th guarder from the Paksey side. As the Pakistani army was on retreat towards Jessore (their last stronghold) Hardinge Bridge was strategically very important. The allied force damaged the bridge. The Japanese Government helped to reconstruct the bridge. It is the second largest railway bridge in Bangladesh. Another bridge named Lalon Shah Bridge for road transport beside the Hardinge Bridge has recently been constructed.
How to go
How To Reach: পাবনা জেলা
It is approximately 219 km away from Dhaka. You can reach by using both road and rail transports.
Dhaka is about five hours by road, through the Jamuna Bridge. Cities and towns of Dhaka Division, Chittagong Division and Sylhet Division are also connected though it. Kushtia District and other parts of Khulna Division and Barisal Division is connected through Lalon Shah Bridge. River crossing (ferry ghat) at Nogorbari on the Jamuna River is the old route to Dhaka and the eastern part of Bangladesh.
It requies three to four hours to cross only the Jamuna from Nogobari to Aaricha river port in Manikgonj District. Najirgonj river crossing on the Padma River connects Pabna town with neighbouring Rajbari District as well as Faridpur, Madaripur, Shariatpur and Gopalganj Districts, and Barisal Division. Pabna is also well connected to all the districts and towns of Rajshahi Division by road.
Pabna town has no rail network. Nearby railway stations are situated at Iswardi and Chatmohar Upazila. Nearby airport is at Ishwardi Upazila. Biman Bangladesh Airlines used to operate twice- weekly services to Ishwardi from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, Dhaka. However, no airlines is operating to and from Ishwardi at the moment.
Several Dhaka bound private bus services are available such as Pabna Express, Shyamoli, Shorkar Travels, Raja Badsha, Badol, Mohanagar, Shorkar Travels, Ishurdi Express, Night Star, Kings, Esha, Capital Service, etc. Government owned Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) provides bus services to Rajshahi and Bogra cities. Water transport is important as the Padma and other rivers, and Chalan Beel are situated
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