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This article was first published 11 years ago

The 10 longest bridges in India built above water

Last updated on: June 19, 2014 17:03 IST

Image: Traffic moves along the newly built Bandra-Worli sea link in Mumbai.
Photographs: Punit Paranjpe/Reuters

If you look at the 10 longest bridges in India constructed above water, Bihar has four of them. Andhra Pradesh comes next with two.

However, if you consider all the bridges in the country constructed above water and measuring over 500 metres, there are about 43 of them.

Of these, Uttar Pradesh has the maximum number of such bridges - seven.

Bihar, on the other hand, comes second with six.

Let’s look at the longest bridges in India and the states where they belong.

Source: Wikipedia

Bandra-Worli Sea Link

Rank: 1

Spanning over: Mahim Bay

Length: 5,600 metres

Completed in the year: 2009

Traffic: Road

State: Maharashtra

City: Mumbai

It took 10 years to build the bridge and about $325 million. It is developed to ease the notorious traffic jam of Mumbai and connects western suburbs (Bandra) to South Mumbai (Worli).

The 10 longest bridges in India built above water

Image: A man rows his boat in the waters of river Ganges with Mahatma Gandhi Setu bridge seen in the background in the eastern Indian city of Patna, in Bihar state.
Photographs: Adnan Abidi/Reuters

Mahatma Gandhi Setu

Spanning over: Ganges

Length: 5,575 metres

Completed in the year: 1982

Traffic: Road

State: Bihar

City: Patna

It used to be the longest river bridge before Bandra-Worli Sea Link was inaugurated. Constructed in 1982, the bridge connects Patna in the south to Hajipur in the north of Bihar. It is part of the National Highway 19.

Before the bridge was constructed, people used to take small boats to travel from one side of the river bank to the other.

The 10 longest bridges in India built above water


Photographs: Www.amit213/Wikimedia Commons

Vikramshila Setu

Spanning over: Ganges

Length: 4,700 metres

Completed in the year: 2001

Traffic: Road

State: Bihar

City: Bhagalpur

Part of the National Highway, the bridge connects Bhagalpur (south) to Naugachia (north) and serves as a link between NH80 and NH31.

The 10 longest bridges in India built above water


Photographs: Rash9745/Wikimedia Commons

Vembanad Rail Bridge

Spanning over: Vembanad Lake

Length: 4,620 metres

Completed in the year: 2011

Traffic: Rail

State: Kerala

City: Kochi

The longest rail bridge in India connects Edappally and Vallarpadam. However, passenger trains do not ply on this bridge as it is dedicated solely for freight.

The 10 longest bridges in India built above water


Photographs: Navesh Chitrakar/Reuters

Nehru Setu

Spanning over: Son River

Length: 3,064 metres

Completed in the year: 1900

Traffic: Rail

State: Bihar

City: Son Nagar

Earlier called as Upper Son Bridge, it connects Dehri-on-Son and Son Nagar. When it was built in 1900, it was believed to be the second longest bridge in the world.

The image is for representation purpose only.

The 10 longest bridges in India built above water


Photographs: Reuters

Jawahar Setu

Spanning over: Son River

Length: 3,061 metres

Completed in the year: 1965

Traffic: Road

State: Bihar

City: Son Nagar

Parallel to Nehru Setu over Son River is Jawahar Setu bridge. It connects the same two areas - Dehri-on-Son and Son Nagar.

It was part of the Grant Trunk Road, which is South Asia's oldest and longest major roads that connected Bangladesh and Pakistan.

The image is for representation purpose only.

The 10 longest bridges in India built above water

Image: Kolia Bhomora Setu just after sunset.
Photographs: Tezpur4u/Wikimedia Commons

Kolia Bhomora Setu

Spanning over: Brahmaputra River

Length: 3,015 metres

Completed in the year: 1987

Traffic: Road

State: Assam

City: Tezpur

It took six years to construct the bridge that connects Sonitpur on the north bank with Nagaon District on the south bank.

The bridge has significantly helped in development of the North Eastern region of India.

The 10 longest bridges in India built above water


Photographs: Dyamanna Badiger/Wikimedia Commons

Korthi-Kolhar Bridge

Spanning over: Krishna River

Length: 3,000 metres

Completed in the year: 2006

Traffic: Road

State: Karnataka

City: Bijapur

The bridge, which is part of the NH - 218,connects Bijapur and Hubli. It is the longest bridge in South India for vehicular traffic.

The 10 longest bridges in India built above water


Photographs: Tatiraju.rishabh/Wikimedia Commons

Godavari Bridge

Spanning over: Godavari River

Length: 2,754 metres

Completed in the year: 1970

Traffic: Rail-cum-road

State: Andhra Pradesh

City: Rajahmundry

Asia’s second largest rail-cum-road bridge, it links east and west Godavari districts. The bridge was mainly constructed for trains running between Chennai and Howrah . The bridge has a road deck over the single-track rail deck. It is also known as Kovvur-Rajahmundry Bridge.

It is one among the three bridges running over Godavari in Rajahmundry. The other two include Old Godavari Bridge (also called as Havelock Bridge), which was decommissioned, and the newer Godavari Arch Bridge.

The 10 longest bridges in India built above water


Photographs: Ramesh Ramaiah/Wikimedia Commons

Old Godavari Bridge (Decommissioned)

Spanning over: Godavari River

Length: 2,754 metres

Completed in the year: 1900

Traffic: Rail

State: Andhra Pradesh

City: Rajahmundry

Now decommissioned, Old Godavari Bridge was constructed to as part of network that would connect Howrah and Chennai by train.

It is one of the oldest bridges in the country which took three years to complete and was opened for traffic in 1900.

The Bridge was named after Sir Arthur Elibank Havelock, the then Governor of Madras.

After decommissioning, the bridge is now used to host civic water supplies.