Ellis bridge (area)

Ellis bridge is an area located in Ahmedabad, India.

About

Ellis Bridge area is located along the sides of Sabarmati river. It was the first area developed outside walled city on the west bank of Sabarmati river. It is an amalgam of residential settlements, hospitals, and educational institutions. V.S. Hospital (Vadilal Sarabhai) set here. Among the educational institutes, Gujarat College, Gujarat Institute of civil Engineers and Architects and Law College are here. A large number of schools are also situated here along the sides of Sabarmati river. Hotels like The Westend, Radisson Hotel, Inder Residency, Hotel Shalin Suites, Hotel Nalanda, Hotel Chicago provide accommodation. Local attractions include Law garden and Lalbhai Dalpatbhai Institute of Indology. M J Library is one of the major library of the city. Ellis Bridge Gymkhana and Oriental Club are recreational clubs here.

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References

Ellis Bridge

Ellis Bridge is a century old heritage bridge situated in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. It bridges the Western & Eastern parts of the city across the Sabarmati river. This bowstring arch truss bridge was the first bridge of Ahmedabad constructed in 1892. Later new concrete wings were constructed on either side in 1997 and it was renamed as Swami Vivekananda Bridge but is still known to people by its old name.

History

The original wooden bridge was constructed by British engineers in 1870–71 at a cost of £54,920 (Rs. 5,49,200). Except two spans on banks, It was destroyed by floods in 1875. A new steel bridge was rebuilt in 1892 by engineer Himmatlal Dhirajram Bhachech and named after Sir Barrow Helbert Ellis, the commissioner of the North Zone. The steel was imported from Birmingham. Himmatlal built it at a cost of Rs 407,000 which was lower than the budget of Rs 500,000. The Government grew suspicious and thought that low quality materials were used by Himmatlal. An inquiry committee was set up and it found that the construction was of superior quality. For saving the Government money, Himmatlal was subsequently honoured with title of Rao Sahib.