Nethravathi Railway Bridge
Captured during the Abbakka Queen Cruise, this image shows the historic Nethravathi Railway Bridge spanning the river near Mangaluru.
Built under the Madras Presidency (one of the three Presidencies of India under colonial rule), the Nethravathi Railway Bridge is one of the oldest active railway bridges in India. Opened in July 1907, it is a historical cast-iron/steel truss bridge, made up of 16 spans of 150 feet each, totaling about 830 meters (2,762 feet) in length.
Behind this old railway bridge are two parallel road bridges carrying NH 66 across the Nethravathi. The juxtaposition of the century-old railway structure with the newer highway bridges is yet another example of how old Mangaluru continues to function alongside the rapidly developing modern city.
Before the construction of the first road bridge, ferries were the main means of transportation between Ullal and Mangalore, carrying commuters, students, and merchants across the Nethravathi River. The walkway of the railway bridge also served pedestrian traffic between the two banks, especially helping workers on the southern bank reach factories on the other side, until the first road bridge was completed in 1965 and opened to vehicular traffic.
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