Rajendra Setu

{{Short description|Rail-cum-road bridge in Bihar, India}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2017}}

{{Use Indian English|date=August 2017}}

{{Infobox Bridge

| bridge_name = Rajendra Setu

| native_name =

| image = Rajendra Setu.png

| caption = Rajendra Setu from Simaria Ghat

| official_name = Rajendra Setu

| other_name = Simaria Pul

| carries = Mokama–Barauni section rail track, NH 31

| crosses = Ganges

| locale = Barauni, Mokama

| engineering = Braithwaite, Burn & Jessop Construction Company

| named_for = Rajendra Prasad

| maint =

| id =

| designer =

| design = Girder bridge

| material =

| spans = 14 x 400 ft
4 x 100 ft

| pierswater =

| mainspan =

| length = {{Convert|2000|m}}

| width =

| height =

| load =

| clearance =

| below =

| traffic = Double road track & Single line rail track

| begin =

| complete =

| open = May 1959

| toll = no

| map_cue =

| map_image =

| map_text =

| map_width =

| coordinates = {{coord|25.3756|N|85.9983|E|format=dms}}

| lat =

| long =

}}

Rajendra Setu, or Simaria Bridge, is a bridge across the Ganges that was the first to link the northern and southern portions of the state of Bihar.{{cite web|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/patna/Rajendra-bridge-falls-off-radar/articleshow/49187167.cms|title=Rajendra bridge falls off radar|website=The Times of India |url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170825213646/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/patna/Rajendra-bridge-falls-off-radar/articleshow/49187167.cms|archive-date=25 August 2017|df=dmy-all}}{{cite web|url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1120426/jsp/bihar/story_15420512.jsp#.VyiRTvl97IV|title=Ganga bridge bonanza New projects to ease travel hassle|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160602132643/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1120426/jsp/bihar/story_15420512.jsp#.VyiRTvl97IV|archive-date=2 June 2016|df=dmy-all}} The location of the bridge was based on the work of M. Visvesvaraya, who was more than 90 years old at the time.{{cite web|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-propertyplus/sirs-inimitable-vision/article794201.ece|title=Sir's inimitable vision

|website=The Hindu

}}{{cite web|url=http://archive.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/nov272006/national0405920061127.asp|title=THE JEWEL OF KARNATAKA|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160917090001/http://archive.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/nov272006/national0405920061127.asp|archive-date=17 September 2016|df=dmy-all}} In a wheelchair, he visited the bridge site on the special request of Bihar's chief minister, Shri Krishna Sinha. It was the first bridge over the Ganges to be built in independent India.

The foundation stone of this bridge was laid by Dr Rajendra Prasad on 26 February 1956 in the seventh year of India's independence.

The road-cum-rail bridge near Hathidah in Patna district and Simaria in Begusarai district was inaugurated in 1959 by Jawaharlal Nehru, prime minister of India, and Shri Krishna Sinha.{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/states/bihar/diversion-to-rajendra-setu-irks-railways-232137|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612163506/https://www.telegraphindia.com/states/bihar/diversion-to-rajendra-setu-irks-railways-232137|url-status=dead|archive-date=12 June 2018|title=Diversion to Rajendra Setu irks railways}} The bridge was constructed by Braithwaite, Burn & Jessop Construction Company. It is about {{Convert|2|km}} long and carries a two-lane road and a single-line railway track.{{cite news | url = https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/patna/Rlys-begins-bridge-renovation-work/articleshow/6156718.cms | title = Rlys begins bridge renovation work | access-date = 2011-07-03 | date = 12 July 2010 | url-status = live | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110707213812/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2010-07-12/patna/28311455_1_new-bridge-girder-bridge-kiul | archive-date = 7 July 2011 | work = The Times of India | df = dmy-all }}{{cite web|url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1160204/jsp/frontpage/story_67415.jsp#.VwA1p5x97IU|title=Million dreams|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160414163358/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1160204/jsp/frontpage/story_67415.jsp#.VwA1p5x97IU|archive-date=14 April 2016|df=dmy-all}}{{cite web | url = http://www.irse.bravehost.com/irhpi.htm | title = Indian railways history (after independence) | publisher = Indian Railways | access-date = 2011-07-03 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20111005074811/http://www.irse.bravehost.com/irhpi.htm | archive-date = 5 October 2011 | df = dmy-all }}

File:Rajendra Setu (carrying 2 Lane NH 28 at top and single BG electrified line at bottom.jpg

A new bridge, carrying the four-lane NH 31 and double-track rail, 25 metres upstream from the existing rail and road bridge, was planned in 2011.{{cite web| url = http://www.telegraphindia.com/1110408/jsp/bihar/story_13823833.jsp| title = Four-lane connector over Sone, Ganga| publisher = The Telegraph, 8 April 2011| access-date = 25 June 2011| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120626045202/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1110408/jsp/bihar/story_13823833.jsp| archive-date = 26 June 2012| df = dmy-all}}

File:Rajendra Bridge at Simariya.jpg

The construction of the new parallel double-line railway bridge was inaugurated by prime minister Narendra Modi on 12 March 2016.{{cite web |url=http://www.dnaindia.com/money/report-pm-modi-inaugurates-three-major-railway-projects-worth-rs-7000-crore-in-bihar-2188606 |title=PM Modi inaugurates three major railway projects worth Rs 7000 crore in Bihar | Latest News & Updates at Daily News & Analysis |access-date=2016-04-15 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160423222811/http://www.dnaindia.com/money/report-pm-modi-inaugurates-three-major-railway-projects-worth-rs-7000-crore-in-bihar-2188606 |archive-date=23 April 2016 |df=dmy-all }}{{cite web |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/patna/New-Mokama-rail-bridge-likely-to-be-completed-in-4-yrs/articleshow/51385623.cms |title=New Mokama rail bridge likely to be completed in 4 yrs - Times of India |website=The Times of India |access-date=2016-04-15 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160318010223/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/patna/New-Mokama-rail-bridge-likely-to-be-completed-in-4-yrs/articleshow/51385623.cms |archive-date=18 March 2016 |df=dmy-all }} The new 1.9 km railway bridge was supposed to be operational by February 2021,{{cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/patna/bridge-parallel-to-rajendra-setu-to-be-ready-in-3-years/articleshow/64546640.cms|title=Bridge parallel to Rajendra Setu to be ready in 3 years|website=The Times of India }} but is now expected to be operational by 2024. The contract for construction of the new bridge was awarded to M/s AFCONS Infrastructure Ltd by the Indian Railway Construction International Limited (IRCON) on an EPC contract basis. Construction has also started on a new six-lane road bridge, which has a span of 34 metres, parallel to it, which is supposed to become operational by December 2024.