British Era Bridge across Kollidam, Trichy: Needs to be saved and restored. Will the State Government Care?

 The old steel bridge across the Kollidam River, a major distributary of the Cauvery, stands as a forgotten relic between Srirangam island and Tiruchirappalli mainland. Built in 1928 during the British colonial era, the 792-meter-long bridge was constructed on 24 robust stone piers and was entirely made of cast iron steel by Braithwaite & Co. Engineers Ltd, England. The prefabricated components were shipped via Madras harbor and assembled on-site, making it a technological feat of its time. For decades, it served as a crucial link for pedestrians, cyclists, and vehicles connecting Tiruchy to cities like Chennai and Salem

British-era Cauvery  Bridge, Trichy city,TN en.wikipedia.org

The historic iron-girder bridge the River Cauvery in Tiruchirappalli (Trichy), Tamil Nadu, stands as a remarkable example of British colonial engineering. Originally built in 1849 under the supervision of Captain Edward Lawford of the British Army, the bridge was one of the earliest masonry bridges in South India. In 1928 The bridge with Cast Iron girders were set on the 24 well-built 28 piers to connect  the  main  town with Srirangam.

old image Kollidam old steel bridge, Trichy,TN indiatimes.com

With the inauguration of a wider, modern bridge nearby in 2014, the colonial-era structure fell into disuse. By 2016, lack of maintenance and attention led to concerns about its structural stability, especially after intense monsoon rains and heavy water flow from the Kudagu catchment in Karnataka. The situation worsened in August 2018, when piers 18 and 19 were washed away due to a sudden release of 87,000 cusecs of water from the Mukkombu barrage, where nine shutters also failed. The 17th pier further collapsed in August 2023 under the strain of strong currents caused by torrential rains and excess discharge from Mettur Dam. Another pier collapsed  in August 2022  due to flooding and heavy rain.

Authorities had allocated ₹387 crore for a new barrage at Mukkombu, as the old one, constructed between 1834–1836 by renowned British engineer Sir Arthur Cotton, had weakened over time. Cotton also built the historic Dowleswaram Barrage across the Godavari in Andhra Pradesh in 1852, contributing immensely to South India’s irrigation infrastructure.

Despite the bridge’s heritage value, government apathy has left it neglected, risking complete collapse. No steps have been taken toward preservation, even as floods continue to threaten its remnants. In the absence of urgent conservation efforts, Trichy may soon lose this significant colonial engineering marvel, once a symbol of industrial progress and connectivity. As of  the corporation office has not taken any step to restore it so that  pedestrians and cyclists can use  the parallel steel bridge safely. 

ttps://www.deccanherald.com/national/british-era-steel-bridge-688427.html

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/trichy/kollidam-old-steel-bridge-develops-crack-due-to-heavy-flow-of-water/articleshow/65423278.cms

https://www.navrangindia.in/2022/08/old-british-era-steel-bridge-across.html

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