The Hardinge Bridge is a steel-built bridge. It's a rail bridge. The steel structure of the bridge was built earlier and then the original bridge was added. the bridge was named after Lord Hardinge, the Viceroy of India.
The bridge is built on the lowest flow of the Ganges at Sara, between the Pakshi and Bheramara stations. It connects the broad gauge railway from Khulna to Parbatipur.
The proposal to build the Hardinge Bridge has been raised and the discussions have been going on for more than twenty years. The final approval for the construction of the bridge was obtained in 1908. Proposals put forward by the then eastern bengal railway in 1889, were investigated by a committee and reported to be feasible. In 1902, Sir Fazze Spring prepared a detailed project on the Bridge.
There were many discussions as to the site of the bridge and in 1907 a committee representing commercial interests recommended one of the 'Sara' sites which had been favoured by Sir Spring. In 1908 a technical committee was appointed. The committee presented the opinion that the bridge could be built near the current site of the bridge. The construction of the bridge began in 1910 and in 1912 the construction work was completed.
It is necessary to mention here that British engineer Sir Robert Jill's worked as the Chief Engineer during the construction of the bridge.
On the 1st of January 1915, the first trial train crossed the bridge down track and on 25 February of the same year the second trial train crossed the bridge up track. Finally on 4 March 1915 Lord Hardinge inaugurated the bridge. A total of 24,000 people were appointed in the construction work of the bridge. The Hardinge Bridge is 1.8 km long. There are 16 piers of castion type made of concrete cubes. According to the original design, the carrying capacity of the bridge is 1,927 tons. The Jamuna Multipurpose Bridge Authority (JMBA) has a plan to renovate the bridge, so that heavy and light vehicles can move through the bridge.
