Ellis Bridge

The basics

Today, Ellis Bridge is less a tourist destination and more a piece of functional infrastructure: it allows two-way traffic between the west and east of Ahmedabad. Original 19th-century steelwork is visible through the new construction, which might interest travelers keen to see fragments of Gujarat’s colonial past. The bridge is rarely an official stop on guided tours, but is visible from the historic old city markets.

Things to know before you go

• The bridge is typically closed to regular foot traffic.

• You might hear locals refer to the Ellisbridge neighborhood, which lies near the west side.

• If you can’t find Swami Vivekananda Bridge on a map, check for Ellis Bridge—both names still tend to be used.

How to get there

Ellis Bridge lies on Ellis Bridge Road across the Sabarmati River from the southeastern reaches of Ahmedabad’s Historic Old City. It’s within walking distance of the Nehru Bridge and just south of the riverfront area on the west side of the Sabarmati River. If traveling by metro, head to Gandhigram Station served by the Red Line.

When to get there

Ellis Bridge can be visited year-round, but the best time to visit is during early mornings or late evenings when there’s less traffic. Generally, the weather is most pleasant in Gujarat from November to February, while temperatures can soar in the peak summer months of April to June.

The history of Ahmedabad’s Ellis Bridge

A wooden Ellis Bridge was built in 1871 by British colonial engineers and was replaced by a steel bridge after floods wiped out most of the original in the 1890s. Mahatma Gandhi, a local, famously announced part of his non-violent resistance march to British rule from the bridge in 1930. New bridges were constructed on either side of the original steel bridge in the 1990s, when the bridge was renamed after Swami Vivekananda, considered the father of modern Indian nationalism.