| Dooars Forum for Social Reforms is organizing a mass rally named Sevok Chalo on December 15 at 10.30 am at A.T.O Club in Mal Bazar. |
The Coronation Bridge, also called as the Sevoke Bridge, in the Darjeeling district over Teesta river is wallowing a neglect.
Thousands of vehicles ply over it each day with no checks on numbers as well as loads. People and NGO’s like Dooars Forum for Social Reforms are demanding for Sevoke Bridge 2, a second alternate bridge to preserve the majestic bridge.
Built in 1937 at the cost of Rs 4 lakhs (completed in 1941) and named to commemorate the coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, the locally so-called Baghpool connects districts of Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri. It was estimated 100 vehicles would pass a day with maximum weight of each to be below 12 tonne.
The cantilever system bridge is an engineering marvel as it was built on the Reinforced Concrete system. It was supported entired by a fixed arch as obtaining support from the river bed was not possible due to depth and water current.
Traffic need to be regulated on the Coronation Bridge and thorough maintenance work should be carried out to preserve its architectural and historical value.
Foundation stone onf the bridge was laid by the then governor of Bengal, John Anderson. John Chambers was the director of PWD at Darjeeling in 1937 and he carried out the drawing, planning and design for the construction of such a great Coronation Bridge.
The engineers who were involved in the making of Coronation Bridge were S.K. Ghoast, A.C. Dutta and KP Roy.
The bridge was originally to link Dooars, Bhutan and North East.
| Coronation Bridge Info |
| Located about 40 kms from Siliguri Located close to Sevoke railway station Connects Dooars with Siliguri Reflects colonial era British architectural design Locally called as Baghpool and Lohapul Two tigers statue is seen at the entrance of it and so called Baghpool Few also call it as Tiger Bridge National Highway 31 runs across the Coronation Bridge |
