{
  "type": "article",
  "title": "These 172-year-old bridges in Haridwar are still outlasting modern concrete ones",
  "summary": "Several lime-and-surkhi bridges built over the Ganga canal in Haridwar 172 years ago, including Hathi Pul, Laltarau Pul and Mayapur Pul, remain sturdier than modern concrete bridges built alongside them.",
  "content": "Some of the oldest bridges standing over the Ganga canal in Haridwar have outlasted their concrete neighbours by more than a century, even though they were built without a single bag of cement or a rod of steel. Made from a lime and surkhi mortar mix, these structures are still rock solid 172 years after they went up.\n\nHow the canal and its bridges came to be\nThe story goes back to 1842, when British engineer Sir Proby Thomas Cautley drew up the plan for the Upper Ganges Canal, stretching from Haridwar all the way to Kanpur Dehat. Turning that plan into reality took roughly 12 years of work, and the canal was finally completed in 1854. The then Governor General, Lord Dalhousie, inaugurated it. Once the canal was in place, the biggest challenge was letting people on either bank move freely between the two sides, which is why a string of bridges went up over the canal, structures that still bear witness to the engineering skill of that era.\n\nHathi Pul carries the weight of millions of pilgrims\nHathi Pul, next to the Mela Niyantran Bhawan near Har Ki Pauri, is regarded as the busiest crossing for pilgrims. Historian Manoj Kumar says the same bridge links travellers to major commercial markets like Bada Bazar and Moti Bazar. Iron pillars roughly three feet high have been fixed at its entrance to keep four wheelers out, so only two wheelers and pedestrians can pass through. Whether it is the Ganga Aarti or a massive gathering like the Kumbh, this bridge has carried the load of crores of people and still stands without a single crack.\n\nLaltarau Pul, named after a goddess\nThe Laltarau Pul near Chandi Chowk carries both historical and cultural weight. According to Manoj Kumar, the bridge takes its name from Lalita Devi, the goddess of the Shri Mantra. A small stream flowing down from the hills passes near this bridge on the way to the post office, and a temple of Lalita Devi stands right there, which is how the bridge got its name. When it was built during British rule, so much technical care went into its foundation that it still carries its history, its faith and its engineering strength together.\n\nMayapur's bridge links the station to the bus stand\nFurther into the town, the old Mayapur bridge stands out for its distinctive build. On one side it connects to the state guest house, and on the other it opens up routes to the railway station, the bus stand, the main fire station and administrative offices. To protect this piece of colonial-era heritage, the Uttar Pradesh irrigation department has put up a board at one end banning entry of heavy vehicles. Standing amid the fast current of the Ganga, this bridge has quietly handled decades of vehicles and commuters.\n\nSinghdwar Pul and the new bridge built alongside it\nManoj Kumar adds that Singhdwar Pul connects some of the city's largest trading hubs. It links busy commercial and industrial areas like Ranipur Mor to several key routes leading into the religious town of Kankhal. As traffic grew heavier, the administration built a new concrete bridge right next to it, yet locals still trust the old structure more. Built without any cement or steel rods, this bridge is proof of just how forward looking Sir Cautley's engineering was for its time.\n\nJatwara Pul in Jwalapur remains the traffic lifeline\nThe Jatwara Pul in the suburb of Jwalapur is still central to daily traffic there. It connects Jwalapur's biggest market to the surrounding rural and suburban areas. Thousands of traders and residents from Jamalpur Kalan, Sarai and nearby localities cross this old route every single day. Despite bearing decades of heavy traffic for well over a century and a half, the bridge's strength hasn't dipped even slightly, and this colonial-era structure still stands firm.\n\nWhat this means for you\nThese bridges are woven into the daily movement of commuters and pilgrims, so the practical effect is real and specific.\n\n• Across India: The proven durability of old British-era engineering could push fresh interest in civil engineering research and heritage conservation policy. Older colonial-era structures across the country may now get closer study and better maintenance attention.\n• In Haridwar: Crossings like Hathi Pul, Mayapur Pul and Singhdwar Pul carry lakhs of pilgrims, traders and residents every day. Crowd management during events like the Kumbh and the Ganga Aarti depends heavily on these old bridges holding up.\n• Traffic planning: With four wheelers barred from Hathi Pul, only two wheelers and pedestrians can cross it, so locals need to factor this into their daily route planning.\n• Conservation responsibility: Measures like the heavy-vehicle ban at Mayapur Pul show the irrigation department must keep taking active steps to protect these structures, which directly shapes road arrangements in the area.\n\nQuestions & Answers\n\n1. Who planned Haridwar's Upper Ganges Canal and when?\nBritish engineer Sir Proby Thomas Cautley planned it in 1842, and it was completed in 1854.\n\n2. Who inaugurated the canal?\nThe then Governor General, Lord Dalhousie, inaugurated the canal.\n\n3. What vehicles are barred from Hathi Pul?\nIron pillars at its entrance keep four wheelers out, so only two wheelers and pedestrians can cross.\n\n4. Who is Laltarau Pul named after?\nIt is named after Lalita Devi, the goddess of the Shri Mantra, whose temple stands near the bridge.\n\n5. What new step did the administration take near Singhdwar Pul?\nA new concrete bridge was built alongside it due to rising traffic, though locals still trust the old bridge more.\n\n6. What are these historic bridges made of?\nThey are built from a lime and surkhi mortar mix, without any cement or steel rods.",
  "url": "https://trendkia.com/en/uttarakhand/haridwar-men-172-sala-purane-ye-pula-aja-bhi-nae-knkrita-dhanchon-ko-de-rahe-hain-mata-27950",
  "category": "Uttarakhand",
  "publishedAt": "2026-09-05",
  "tags": [
    "Haridwar bridges",
    "Ganga canal",
    "British era engineering",
    "Hathi Pul",
    "Sir Cautley",
    "lime surkhi bridge"
  ],
  "language": "en",
  "site": "TrendKia"
}