Attock Bridge in 2015

Attock Bridge (Urdu: اٹک پل ) is situated between Attock Khurd and Khairabad Kund on Indus river in Pakistan. It is commonly known as "Old Attock Bridge". This bridge is one of the most important strategic and commercial crossing on the Indus River between Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces, hence was heavily fortified.

History

Attock Bridge 1895

Attock Bridge was designed by Sir Guildford Molesworth and was opened to traffic on 24 May 1883.^[1] The cost of construction was more than Rs 3.2 million.^[2]

The structure was redesigned by Sir Francis Callaghan and was reconstructed in 1929, at the cost of Rs 2.5 million. The bridge spanning over 1,395 feet (425 m) has 2 levels and 5 spans, of which 3 spans are 257 feet (78 m) long and 2 spans are 312 feet (95 m) long. The upper level is use for railway traffic and lower level was used for road traffic. The approaches to the bridge were built as solid fortifications - as a defense against raids from nearby Pashtun tribesmen.

This bridge was a part of famous Grand Trunk Road. In 1979 a new bridge was constructed and road traffic was shifted to there. This new bridge is known as "New Attock Bridge".^[3][4]

References

33°52′21″N 72°14′12″E / 33.8725°N 72.2368°E / 33.8725; 72.2368