Story of Amrutanjan or Reversing bridgeon Mumbai –Pune E -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Thatha_Patty" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/thatha_patty/D0293A83-C088-48CC-9F92-0EEF11E6F115%40gmail.com.
News of this famous bridge to be demolished soon has appeared in many newspapers. There is an interesting story about this bridge ,which many may not be knowing. Railway came to India in 1853 when first train between Mumbai (then Bombay) and Thane ran. It was big sensation then and people used to call it “Aginrath”(Fire chariot ) because of big steam engine and fire therein to produce steam in boiler. Then it started expanding fast in various parts of India. Pune (then Poona) was a major centre for British Army, Governor’s summer capital and gateway between Konkan and rest of Maharashtra and other areas of India. Roads were not in good shape, cars not being there and most of traffic was by bullock or horse carts or on the back of horses or Bulls. Hence need to have a railway line was felt and planning work started around same time as first rail line between Mumbai and Thane . Major challenge and hurdle was the steep Khadala hills (Now called Borghat) near Lonavala and to take railway thru it from sea level to @ 700 metres steep height in short distance. A team of British Engineers were doing survey of this hilly area to plan route for rail line. Major General John Malcom was Governor of Bombay province then. And at one point the chief engineer got stuck as to how to proceed further due to steep hills. He just in a depressed mood sent a letter to his wife who was staying in Mumbai mentioning -“I am stuck in planning rail line. Do not know how to go ahead “.The wife , to tease him, sent a letter in reply ,telling him, ”if you can’t go ahead come back.” (i e come home leaving the job back, work half finished. When he got the letter, an idea came to his mind, “If you can’t go ahead, come back.” So he designed the line in which at this point, a bridge was planned connecting two hills. Railway from Pune will come thru a tunnel (now a part of E way) on this bridge , it will halt there, engine will be taken to other end of train and then it will go down to Karjat side reversing its direction, Same was to be done when train came from Mumbai to Pune. This bridge then constructed and became famous as “Reversing bridge”. It was completed first for non rail traffic after completion in 1830. It was opened for rail traffic on 21 April 1863. Later on, a new railway line was built @ 1920-30 by having many tunnels and this reversing bridge was abandoned in 1929 and whole process became obsolete. The Hindustan construction company of Industrialist Walchand Hirachand (Walchnad Group) played a major role in construction of tunnels and new rail line . The bridge was then prominently seen from train while going to or from Pune to Mumbai . Later a big advertisement of Amrutanjan pain balm with the big letters AMRUTANJAN were erected on this bridge and it became known as AMRUTANJAN bridge. Later it became just a picnic spot ( and sometimes a suicide spot) . When express way was planned, it went below this bridge, new bridge was constructed as bypass from Khadala to join E way and bridge lost its prominence. But as bridge was there, there were many travel hazards due to steep turn at this point for E way , many accidents took place for trailers and many lives lost. It was felt that this old bridge be demolished. Many wanted it to be there as heritage place , legal battles were fought and ultimately it was decided to demolish it. However , due to heavy traffic on this E way , to demolish it would need total stoppage of traffic for few days, much to inconvenience of goods and people traffic. Thanks to Corona problem, with drastic reduction in traffic , yesterday it was demolished and one famous bridge went in oblivion. But it gives important messages, 1.If you can’t go ahead, (don’t)come back And 2.It is advantageous to listen to your wife’s advise (although it may be teasing).
( Interestingly, during world war II, few marine engineers from British Navy were wandering in Khandala Hills for picnic and they found place near famous Duke’s nose very attractive. Hence a marine college was planned there which later was named as INS Shivaji. This is highest Marine college in world ,@ 700 meters above sea level. .) Sent from my iPhone -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Thatha_Patty" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/thatha_patty/D0293A83-C088-48CC-9F92-0EEF11E6F115%40gmail.com.
