Koilwar Bridge, Railway and road bridge in Bhojpur, India
Koilwar Bridge is a combined railway and road crossing over the Sone River in Bhojpur district, Bihar, uniting two transport lanes across a span of 1.44 kilometers (0.89 miles). Trains and vehicles use the structure simultaneously, connecting the cities of Arrah and Patna across the wide riverbed.
Construction began in 1856 and finished in 1862, making the crossing the longest river bridge in India at that time. This position held until the opening of the Upper Sone Bridge in 1900.
The structure carries the name of Professor Abdul Bari, an early 20th-century scholar and reformer who worked for education in Bihar. His memory remains present in the region through this name.
The crossing lies on the railway line between New Delhi, Patna and Howrah and carries passenger and freight trains, while road traffic flows in parallel. Travelers can view it from a train window or drive across.
Engineers George Turnbull and Matthew Digby Wyatt selected the site after measurements in February 1851 revealed a river width of 5,350 feet (1,631 meters). This precise survey determined the final construction planning for the project.
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