Howrah Bridge has carried Kolkata’s traffic since 1943, making it more than 80 years old — and it does so without a single nut or bolt in its main structure. The bridge is a cantilever design, its steel sections held together entirely through riveting, a construction method common to that era of engineering but rarely seen at this scale today.
Why rivets, not bolts
Riveted construction was the standard for large steel structures built in the early-to-mid 20th century, valued for the strength of the joints once cooled and hammered into place. Howrah Bridge is one of the more prominent surviving examples still carrying its original volume of daily traffic.
Seeing it up close
The bridge remains one of the busiest in the world by pedestrian and vehicle count, connecting Kolkata to Howrah across the Hooghly river — best appreciated early in the morning, before the crowds and traffic reach their daily peak.