Howrah Bridge Turns Interactive: Pick Your Favourite Colour & Song for 10 Days

Howrah Bridge in Kolkata has a brand new plan where the public can light it up in their favourite colours. Authorities will give people the chance to choose the colour and song for 10 days a year. Here are the full details.

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Howrah Bridge

The Howrah Bridge is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Kolkata. The massive structure stands over the Hooghly River and is much more than just a transport link. It has become a major symbol connected to Kolkata's history, technology, trade, and daily life.

Authorities opened the bridge to the public in 1943 as the New Howrah Bridge. They later renamed it Rabindra Setu on June 14, 1965, to honour poet Rabindranath Tagore. However, the public still popularly calls it the Howrah Bridge even today.

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Where is the Howrah Bridge located?

The bridge connects Howrah city and Kolkata city across the Hooghly River in West Bengal. It sits right next to the Howrah railway station, making it a crucial link for daily commuters and commercial transport.

The West Bengal Tourism Department states that the Howrah Bridge has a total length of about 705 metres. Its main central span measures around 457.2 metres. The main steel towers of the bridge stand about 82 metres tall.

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How many people cross this bridge daily?

This is one of the most interesting facts about the Howrah Bridge. The West Bengal Tourism Department data shows that around 1 lakh vehicles and over 1.5 lakh pedestrians use the bridge every single day. It remains a historical monument, but it still plays a massive role in the city's daily traffic.

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New technology

• Authorities have installed 3,825 modern LED luminaires on the Howrah Bridge. These lights operate together on a 385-kilowatt power system.
• Operators can run these lights in different colours and patterns based on the requirement. They can beautifully light up the main pylons and the structural profile of the bridge to create dynamic lighting displays.
• The setup also allows a synchronized sound and light show where the lights change according to the music's beat and volume.
• The government has spent around Rs 22.35 crore on this modern lighting project.
• Officials will also introduce a feature to display personal greetings like birthdays and wedding anniversaries through the lights. They will announce the charges for this service later.

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Howrah Bridge in the public's favourite colours

The Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port (SMPK) manages the Howrah Bridge and recently shared some exciting news.

• The public can choose their favourite colours to light up the bridge for 10 days a year.
• People will also get the chance to select a song or a voice message to go with the lights.
• Authorities will play this audio at the Millennium Park area. They are also planning a mobile app feature so people can listen to it on their phones.
• Officials will soon decide if this 10-day service will be free or paid.
• They will announce the specific 10 days and the application process later.
• Port officials plan to launch this brand new feature starting from Durga Puja.

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Special lighting for 50 days a year

The port management will also select the bridge colours and sound shows for another 50 days a year based on the importance of those specific days. For example, they might decorate the bridge in the national flag colours during Independence Day.