Ellis Bridge
| Ellis Bridge | |
|---|---|
 View of Ellis Bridge from the new extension bridge | |
| Official name | Swami Vivekananda Bridge |
| Carries | Road Traffic |
| Crosses | Sabarmati River |
| Locale | Ellis bridge area, Ahmedabad |
| Maintained by | Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation |
| Design | Steel and Slab bridge |
| Constructed by | Pre-independence British engineers |
The Ellis Bridge is a major landmark structure in the city of Ahmedabad, as well as an artery of public transport across the river Sabarmati. Constructed in 1870, the original bridge constructed by British engineers had a wooden structure, which was replaced by steel in 1882[1]. The original bridge was narrow and not suited for heavy motorized traffic. Modern extensions have been constructed on either side of the original bridge to support heavy traffic, and the original bridge is preserved as a landmark. The bridge has been renamed as Swami Vivekananda bridge but is still known to people by its old name.
[edit] Reconstruction
After considerable deliberations, the engineering division of Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has opined that more than 125-year-old Ellisbridge be pulled down in order to bring it back to its old glory. When rebuilt, the plan is to run the BRTS bus on it as an exclusive corridor that would look just like the original when the steel arches are placed back.
The pollution in the Sabarmati river has corroded the steel piers (pillars) of the bridge over time weakening the very foundation of the bridge.
A consultant was appointed for the purpose who was studying whether strengthening of the piers and the 23-odd steel segments can improve the load bearing capacity of the bridge. The consultant advised that pulling down the bridge and building a new one would be cheaper than merely strengthening the old bridge, which would not last long
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