Pontoon bridge under construction near Bulandshahr is expected to shorten Ganga crossings

A pontoon bridge is being built near Avantika Devi Ganga Ghat in Ahar, Bulandshahr, Uttar Pradesh. The project is expected to save people crossing the Ganga at least 30 kilometres of travel and about an hour and a half. The construction was under way on 1 November 2026.

Location and flood arrangements

The new bridge is about 1.5 kilometres from the site of the previous pontoon bridge near the temple. During floods, its pontoons are removed. The bridge is put back into operation after the flood subsides and the river level falls.

Important Facts for Exams

• Buoyancy-based capacity: Pontoon bridge capacity follows Archimedes’ principle: each float supports the mass of displaced water, including the weight of the bridge and pontoon itself.
• Flexible connections: Pontoon bridge connections must flex to accommodate uneven loading, allowing one section to sit lower than the others.
• Movement hazards: Pontoon bridges can sway dangerously under swell, storms, floods or fast-moving loads, so floating movement is a design concern.
• Modular construction: Modern pontoon bridges use prefabricated floating structures and can be assembled section by section, beginning at an anchored shore point.