India, Jan. 11 -- Lucknow's Sikandar Bagh, known to the British as 'Alexander's Garden', was created by Wajid Ali Shah as a tribute to one of his beloved begums, Sikandar Mahal. The queen's untimely demise, coupled with Wajid Ali's departure from Lucknow, cast a shadow over the garden, leading it into a state of neglect. Following the tumult of 1857, when the British reasserted their dominion over the city, the colonial authorities chose to divide Sikandar Bagh into two distinct sections. Outram Road, now Ashok Marg, traversed the Gomti River via a wooden structure known as the 'Pile Bridge,' constructed with vertical supports referred to as piles. This bridge forged a vital link between Sikandar Bagh and Bruce Ganj (now Nishatganj), with the Lunatic Asylum and Lepers' Asylum situated to the left and the Upper India Couper Paper Mills, erected on the historic grounds of the Nawabi Chukkar Kothi or Race Stand, to the right. However, in October 1891, flash floods ravaged the region, severely damaging the Pile Bridge and resulting in devastation, both in terms of life and property. In the aftermath, a bureaucratic conflict erupted between the colonial municipal authorities and the Public Works Department concerning jurisdiction and financial responsibility for the necessary repairs-or even the potential construction of a new bridge. An intense debate ensued regarding whether the existing bridges over the Gomti could accommodate the movement of the public and troops adequately. When it was reasonably justified that the new replacement bridge would benefit 'the eastern half of the city, including the Railway Station, Civil Lines and the high road (highway) to Barabanki and Faizabad, as well as traffic for the Lunatic Asylum and the Civil Cemetery (Nishatganj Cemetery)' it was queried as to whether the remains of the old bridge had been removed? There was also some correspondence regarding the requirement of additional land from the Paper Mill, but this was offset by the fact that the sizeable movement of goods to and from the Paper Mill would be benefited. The Paper Mill had been started in 1879, manufacturing paper chiefly from 'baib' (Eulaliopsis binata) grass, old gunny bags and waste materials suitable for the purpose and was entirely an Indian concern, although it employed European foremen. The movement of raw materials and finished products from the mill was reasonably good, requiring efficient transportation, although more than two decades later, the Indian Industrial Commission, during its inspection in 1916 noted that 'only low quality of paper was being manufactured and the directors were apparently content to continue running the mill, without the slightest trace of scientific control nor any sign of development'. The initial construction cost of the washed away Pile Bridge had been Rs 10,000.00. The estimate for the new bridge was Rs 25,000.00. But as the volume of official paperwork, consisting of queries and replies increased, the cost estimate also shot up accordingly. By 1899, the work on the bridge had still not commenced and the budget estimate was now Rs 1,15,000.00. The bridge was finally rebuilt as its current avatar - the present-day Nishatganj Bridge, being funded by the government and Municipal Corporation of Lucknow. It was a purely utilitarian structure with no architectural merit whatsoever. But it did serve its purpose of 'benefiting the eastern half of the city' for quite some time. The Nishatganj Bridge was modified over the years, till it lost its original features and a twin of the bridge was also constructed in the recent past to bear the load of additional traffic. More recently, in 2021, it was observed that the twin bridges had developed deep pits and cracks along its joints (6 joints in the old bridge and 12 joints of the new one). The bridges were partially closed and repairs carried out at night, along the combined length of 220 meters of both structures. The repair work included the replacement of the bearings between the pillars of the bridge and the viaduct, to make sure that the bridges could bear high traffic loads. During this exercise, no attempt was made to completely renovate and restore the structures, so much so that even the lights on these twin bridges remained only partially functional and the cracks in the parapets remained. Back in 2017, it had been proposed that the UP Irrigation Department would enhance the aesthetic appeal of all the historic bridges in Lucknow. This plan included the removal of barbed fences from the parapets, which 'which spoil their beauty and inhibit beautiful reflections of light on water'. However, the barbed fences remained in place, and the Nishatganj bridges continued to fall into disrepair, with no consideration given to their conservation and maintenance, beautification being a far cry. After Lucknow experienced heavy rainfall during August and September 2025, the city faced widespread issues with damaged roads and hazardous potholes. The already dilapidated Nishatganj bridges, which accommodate approximately 10,000 vehicles on a daily basis, suffered further deterioration due to gaps between the blocks, crumbling sections and loose gravel. There was considerable concern from commuters, but the cracked and damaged masonry railings and parapets went largely unnoticed, as they were out of public view. Additionally, the non-functional lights on the structures were overlooked. It was an astonishing fact that due to official neglect, a pair of dilapidated bridges over a river could continue to function in the heart of the city. Though the structures had been in a state of disrepair for an extended period, the rains were held responsible for their condition; the PWD then took action, applying asphalt and concrete to the damaged areas. Meanwhile, the city awaits completion of new bridges under the Green Corridor project, currently under construction, without a thought on the upkeep and management of the older bridges dotting the city. PC Sarkar, a former scientist, has authored several books on the forgotten heritage of Lucknow...