One of the city's oldest bridges, it was built in 1869 by Francis Napier who was the Governor of Madras at the time of the direct rule from the British crown from 1866 to 1872.

A combination of lighting effects has been created on the arches and surface using 464 bulbs and fixtures.

[7] In 2022, the bridge was painted as a chessboard ahead of the 44th Chess Olympiad held in Chennai, India.

[8][9] While some commentators liked the artwork, others raised concerns that the pattern was disorienting, especially for people with anxiety disorder.

[10] The chessboard pattern also led to traffic congestion as people thronged to the bridge to take selfies and record Instagram Reels.