After closure of iconic Lakshman Jhula, first-of-its-kind glass floor bridge to replace it

RISHIKESH: The Uttarakhand government has cleared the design of a glass floor suspension bridge, the first of its kind in the country, to be built across Ganga river in Rishikesh as an alternative to the iconic Lakshman Jhula which was closed last year.

Prepared by the Public Works Department (PWD), the design of the bridge is the first of its kind in India as it would have a floor made of toughened transparent glass giving pedestrians a sense of walking on the surface of the river while crossing through the bridge, Additional Chief Secretary Om Prakash said on Thursday.

The design has been approved and the department asked to prepare an estimate for the project, he said.

The bridge will be built parallel to Lakshman Jhula with a total width of eight metres consisting of two toughened glass floors each with a width of 1.5 metres and as many 2.5-metre asphalt roads in between meant for light motor vehicles like two-wheelers, he said.

The toughened glass floor will be 3.5 inches thick and capable of bearing a load of more than 750 kg per square metre at a stretch, the senior official said.

The span of the bridge will be 132.3 metres long with seven feet high toughened glass railings on either side of the structure, Prakash said.

It will be safe for commutation for at least 150 years, the official claimed.

The iron pillars and bars to be used in the bridge will much more stronger than the ones normally used in the construction of bridges, he said, adding that the bridge could last even more than 150 years if it is maintained well.

The Lakshman Jhula suspension bridge, which has been in place for 94 years, was closed in July last year due to safety reasons.

Soon after its closure, Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat had announced that an alternate bridge will be built using modern technology.

The design of the bridge is in line with the chief minister's announcement, the additional chief secretary said.