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List of bridges in Srinagar

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Bridges across the Jhelum in Srinagar city. Seven in green represent the old kadals. Brown are the newer bridges.

The city of Srinagar in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, India, originally had seven wooden bridges across the Jhelum River. The seven bridges — Amira, Habba, Fateh, Zaina, Aali, Nawa and Safa — were constructed between the 15th and 18th century. This number remained unchanged for at least five centuries.[1] In the Kashmiri language, these bridges are known as kadals.[2] Localities around them have been eponymously named.[3]

The old seven bridges are of similar construction and made of Cedrus deodara. Apart from heavy rocks used to add weight to the foundation, the entire bridge was made of wood.[4] A number of passages allow for the flow of water making them considerably strong against water level and flow changes.[4] They have been reconstructed a number of times.[4] In 1841, bridges 3 to 7 were washed away.[5] In 1893, bridges 2 to 7 were washed away.[5][6]

Bridges across the Jhelum

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1887, numbers 1 to 25 represent bridges
Habba, 1864
Fateh, c.1880s
Zero, 2016
Lal Mandi, 2016
Name Year Length Breadth Notes
The original seven
Amira Kadal 1773[5] 122 m (400 ft)[4] 20 ft (6.1 m)[4] The first bridge;[7][8] was renamed Pratap Kadal on reconstruction but the old name continues to be used.[9] Alternately spelt Amiri,[10] Amiran,[2] Ameeri.[11]
Habba Kadal 1550[5] 88 m (289 ft)[4] 24 ft (7.3 m)[4] The second bridge; a row of shops ran along the edges.[11] Has also been spelt as Hubba.[10] The New Habba Kadal bridge is a few meters off.[7][8][12]
Fateh Kadal 1499[5] 80 m (260 ft)[4] 17 ft (5.2 m)[4] The third bridge;[12][8] also spelt Fatteh,[10] Fati.[11]
Zaina Kadal 1426[5] 87 m (285 ft)[4] 24 ft (7.3 m)[4] The fourth bridge;[7][8][13]
Aali Kadal 1417[5] 74 m (243 ft)[4] 17 ft (5.2 m)[4] The fifth bridge; alternate date of construction 1415.[7] Other spellings that have been used include Haili[10] and Alli.[11]
Nawa Kadal 1666[5] 68 m (223 ft)[4] 18 ft (5.5 m)[4] The sixth bridge; rebuilt in 1953.[7] Also spelt Naya.[10]
Safa Kadal 1670[5] 100 m (330 ft)[4] 19 ft (5.8 m)[4] The seventh bridge; alternately built in 1664.[14] Alternate spellings used Saffa,[10] Safr,[2] Suffa.[11]
Newer bridges
Zero Bridge 1950s 160 m (520 ft) 9 m (30 ft) [15][16]
Abdullah Bridge 1990s 200 m (660 ft) 14 m (46 ft)
Lal Mandi Footbridge 2005[17] 125 m (410 ft) 4 m (13 ft) [18]
Budshah Bridge 1957 100 m (330 ft) 25 m (82 ft) Also known as Alamgir bridge.
New Habba Kadal 2001 100 m (330 ft) 12 m (39 ft)
New Fateh Kadal
New Zaina Kadal

Other bridges

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Jhelum with Chonth Kul, Keth Kul, Sunnar Kul. Nallah Mar was filled in the 1970s.[19]
Name of Canal / Drain Bridges
Former
Nallah Mar
(Mar Canal, Mar Kol, Nahari Mar) 		Rajwir/ Rajauri.[9] Naopura, Naid, Bhuri, Sraf, Kadi, Razawar, Khwadar, Gao, Duma, Pucha.[10]
Existing
Kutte Kol
(Keth Kul, Kutte Kul, Kutekul, Tsueth Kol, Katha Kul) 		Tankipora, Kanni, Zaladager, Nawa Bazar, Shah/ Watal.[20] Tainki, Darash, Chutsa, Kanhayya, Bozagar, Watal.[10]
Tsoont Kol
(Chonth Kul, Tsoont Kol) 		Sonawar/ Aziz, MA, Fakhr-e-Kashmir/ Mirza Afzal Beigh, Barbar Shah, Gaw.[20] Gao, Rainawari, Naidyar.[10] Githa
Sunnar Kul
(Soner Kol) 		Shah Mohalla Footbridge, Darish, Chatta Bal, Syed Mansoor.[20]

Oont Kadal

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Oont Kadal (camel bridge) is a 17th century structure located on the Dal Lake. It was restored with Germany's assistance in 2018-2021.[21][22]

References

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  1. ^ Sufi, G. M. D. (1949). Kashmir A History of Kashmir. Vol. 2. University of Panjab. pp. 521–522 – via Internet Archive.
  2. ^ a b c Lawrence, Sir Walter Roper (1895). The Valley of Kashmír. H. Frowde.
  3. ^ Tiku, Deepak (October–December 2012). "Picturesque Bridges of Srinagar". Miraas. 5 (4): 28– – via ResearchGate.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Gazetteer of Kashmir and Ladak. Calcutta. 1890. pp. 411, 775 – via Internet Archive.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i Koul, Pandit Anand (1925). Geography Of The Jammu And Kashmir State. Calcutta: Thacker, Spink and Company. pp. 82, 103.
  6. ^ Doughty, Marion (1901). Afoot Through the Kashmir Valleys. Harvard University. Sands & company. p. 168.
  7. ^ a b c d e Firdous, Saba (7 September 2012). "The historical connectors". The Kashmir Walla. Archived from the original on 14 March 2022. Retrieved 14 February 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  8. ^ a b c d Achakzai, Khawar Khan (25 April 2021). "Kadal Nama: A brief history of historical connectors". Free Press Kashmir. Archived from the original on 14 March 2022. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
  9. ^ a b Sufi, G. M. D. (1948). Kashir, Being a History of Kashmir. Vol. 1 – via Internet Archive.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h i Temple, Sir Richard Carnac (1887). Journals Kept in Hyderabad, Kashmir, Sikkim, and Nepal. W. H. Allen & Company.
  11. ^ a b c d e Wakefield, W (1879). The Happy Valley: Sketches of Kashmir & the Kashmiris. London: Sampson Low, Marston, Rivington.
  12. ^ a b "In Kashmir seven Historic bridges losing sheen gradually". Ground Report. 16 February 2021. Archived from the original on 14 March 2022. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
  13. ^ Rasool, Jamsheed (14 March 2015). "City of Seven Bridges-II". Greater Kashmir. Archived from the original on 14 March 2022. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
  14. ^ Pirie, H R (1890). Kashmir The Land Of Streams And Solitudes. John Lane – via Internet Archive.
  15. ^ "Kashmir's iconic Zero Bridge dismantled". NDTV. Indo-Asian News Service. 4 April 2012. Archived from the original on 17 February 2015. Retrieved 15 February 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  16. ^ Raafi, Muhammad (10 May 2016). "0 Bridge 2.0". Kashmir Life. Archived from the original on 11 May 2016. Retrieved 15 February 2022.
  17. ^ "District Census Handbook, Srinagar" (PDF). Directorate of Census Operations, Jammu & Kashmir. 2011. Archived (PDF) from the original on 21 November 2017.
  18. ^ Hassan, Sameer Ul (14 March 2015). "Lal Mandi Footbridge". Greater Kashmir. Archived from the original on 15 February 2022. Retrieved 15 February 2022.
  19. ^ Irfan, Shams (14 March 2011). "A stream buried". Kashmir Life. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 21 February 2022.
  20. ^ a b c "Maps". Official Website of Srinagar Municipal Corporation. 20 February 2022. Archived from the original on 20 February 2022. Retrieved 20 February 2022.
  21. ^ Saxena, Prasanth (17 April 2021). "Kashmir's Mughal-era camelback-shaped bridge restored to its glory". The Federal. Archived from the original on 17 April 2021. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
  22. ^ "J&K: 17th century Oonth Kadal to get fresh lease of life". The Times of India. PTI. 1 October 2018. Archived from the original on 9 November 2020. Retrieved 22 February 2022.

Further reading

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Books
Papers
Articles
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