It is one of three bridges on the river Hooghly and is the most famous symbol of not only Kolkata but also West Bengal.
Until 1943, the Hooghly River was crossed by a pontoon bridge which had to be opened to let river traffic through. There was considerable opposition to construction of a bridge due to fears that it would affect the river currents and cause silting problems. This problem was eventually avoided by building a bridge that crosses the river in a single 450m span - there are no pylons at all within the river.
The cantilevered bridge, also known as Rabindra Setu, is similar in size to the Sydney Harbour Bridge but carries a flow of traffic which Sydney could never dream of .It is the busiest bridge in the world. It's intriguing to stand at one end of the bridge at morning rush hour and watch the procession of double-decker buses come across. They heel over like yachts in a heavy wind due to the weight of passengers hanging onto the sides. In between are lumbering bullock carts, hordes of bicycles and even the odd car. The ferries running from below Howrah Station are a more convenient way to cross the river and give you a good view of the bridge.