Godavari Arch Bridge

Godavari Arch Bridge is a bow-string girder railway bridge spanning the Godavari River between Kovvur and Rajahmundry in Andhra Pradesh. Commissioned in 1997, it is 2.75 km long with 28 arches and is noted as one of the longest bow-string arch bridges in Asia. Built to replace the old Havelock Bridge, it carries the main Howrah-Chennai railway line and is an iconic engineering landmark of the region.

Visitors cannot walk on the bridge as it is an active railway bridge with no pedestrian access. Visitors can expect to view the distinctive series of 28 steel bow-string arches spanning the wide Godavari River from the riverbanks, Pushkar Ghats, or the adjacent Godavari Bridge (road-cum-rail bridge). The setting offers wide river views, photography opportunities, and sunset views over the Godavari, with trains frequently crossing the arches.

Constructed by Hindustan Construction Company (HCC) and commissioned in 1997 to replace the 1900 Havelock Bridge for increased rail capacity and higher speeds. Designed as a bow-string girder bridge with 28 spans of 97.55 meters each, it was built to handle 250 km/h train speeds and heavy freight loads on the Howrah-Chennai route. It is considered a modern engineering achievement in Indian Railways.

The bridge is an iconic symbol of Rajahmundry and Kovvur and the Godavari region, often featured in tourism promotion of Andhra Pradesh. Together with the old Havelock Bridge and the Godavari Bridge, it represents three generations of bridge engineering over the Godavari and is a recognizable landmark for visitors to the Pushkaram festival ghats.