With the river Hooghly flowing through our City of Joy, Kolkata, and separating it from the district of Howrah, four grand bridges connect these two districts over the river Hooghly. One of them is the iconic Howrah Bridge, one of the oldest structures of the city, commissioned way back in 1943. It was later renamed Rabindra Setu, and by nature, is a cantilever bridge. A cantilever bridge is a structure that extends horizontally and is supported only at one end. It is the most used (in terms of the number of vehicles and pedestrians) cantilever bridge, and ranks sixth in terms of length, worldwide.

The Howrah bridge has separate accommodations for both vehicles and pedestrians, and a large number of people cross this bridge every single day. This traffic owes itself to the position of the bridge, which connects Kolkata to one of the biggest railway stations of the country, the Howrah station. Earlier, trams traveled on the bridge, too, but was later discontinued due to additional traffic. Nowadays, the bridge also happens to be a massive tourist attraction. With its beautiful lighting and the Hooghly river flowing under the bridge, it creates a wonderful ambiance for any onlooker.

Along with its aesthetic value, the cultural and historical significance of the Rabindra Setu is also huge. Witnessing history unfold in Kolkata for over 75 years, this iconic bridge has witnessed the Freedom Struggle, the Second World War, and much, much more. Numerous movies and books cover this historical place, and the Howrah bridge continues to stand as an icon of the city of Kolkata.