Cochin bridge, Railway bridge in Palakkad District, India.
Cochin bridge is a railway bridge crossing the Bharathapuzha River and linking Shoranur and Cheruthuruthy between Palakkad and Thrissur districts. Its steel and stone structure displays early 20th-century engineering design and remains an important transport route today.
The bridge was completed in 1902 during the reign of Maharaja Rama Varma Thampuran as a major engineering achievement. Its original narrow gauge design was converted to broad gauge in 1935 to adapt to changing transport needs.
The bridge served as a vital trading hub connecting different regions of Kerala over many decades. It allowed people and goods to move between coastal towns and inland areas more easily.
The bridge is designed for rail traffic with regular train crossings between the two districts. A parallel structure was built after structural damage in 1989 to maintain the transport connection and improve capacity.
For many years the bridge served not just trains but also bullock carts that moved between its rails. This mixed use was common for Indian bridges of that era and shows how transport methods gradually evolved over time.
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