End of an Era: 171-Year-Old British-Era Canal Bridge on Auraiya-Bidhuna Road Declared Dilapidated

• by Akanksha Mishra
• 2026-10-09 11:23:00

Residents and commuters traveling along the crucial Auria-Bidhuna road will soon find relief from chronic safety hazards as authorities launch construction on a brand-new bridge. The existing structure, a historic 171-year-old canal bridge built over the Lower Ganges Canal during British rule and inaugurated in 1855, has fallen into a severely dilapidated state, posing daily risks of accidents. With peeling plaster, exposed bricks, and structural decay plaguing the century-old masonry, local administration and the Public Works Department (PWD) have officially accelerated plans to replace the aging landmark with a modern, sturdy two-lane bridge.

History and Structural Decay: A British-Era Landmark in Jeopardy

The aging infrastructure has struggled to cope with modern traffic demands, raising safety alarms across the region:

Centuries of Service: Originally constructed during the British colonial era and opened in 1855 when the waterway was designated as the Ganges Canal, the bridge has stood for nearly two and a quarter centuries.

Visible Deterioration: In recent years, the structure's physical condition has deteriorated sharply, with plaster peeling away from the lower sections and structural bricks coming loose.

Heavy Vehicle Bans Ignored: Although heavy vehicle traffic was officially barred from crossing the bridge in December 2023 due to safety concerns, thousands of light and heavy vehicles continue to navigate the route daily, putting immense pressure on the weakening span.

Government Approval and PWD Inspection Accelater Project

Recognizing the urgent need for intervention, administrative machinery has moved swiftly to clear roadblocks for reconstruction:

₹3.15 Crore Proposal: Following safety surveys, a formal proposal to construct a brand-new two-lane bridge at an estimated cost of ₹3.15 crore was submitted in August 2023.

Official Site Inspections: With government sanction secured, PWD construction division officials conducted a thorough on-site inspection on Thursday, evaluating the proposed bridge alignment, approach roads, and surrounding terrain.

Relief for Achalda and Surrounding Towns: The upcoming bridge is expected to permanently eliminate accident risks for residents of Achalda and dozens of neighboring villages, ensuring seamless, unhindered traffic connectivity.

Canal Closure and Construction Timeline

According to senior department officials, groundwork for the replacement project is slated to begin imminently:

Canal Closure Secured: Alka Singh, Executive Engineer of the PWD Construction Division, confirmed that the department has successfully obtained an official canal closure order, resulting in lowered water levels at the site.

Clearing and Preparation: Site cleanup operations will commence within the next two to four days, followed by foundational preparations and the official kickoff of bridge construction.

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