The new Pamban Bridge is India’s first vertical lift railway sea bridge and will replace the existing 105-year-old bridge. It will connect the Mandapam town in mainland India with Rameswaram on Pamban Island.
The new Pamban Bridge is a double-track railway bridge. (Photo credit: X/@AshwiniVaishnaw)
New Delhi: Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on November 29 shared several images and clips of the new Pamban Bridge in Tamil Nadu’s Rameswaram. The bridge is India’s first vertical lift railway sea bridge and will replace the existing 105-year-old bridge. Vaishnaw highlighted several aspects of the project and he described it as “a modern engineering marvel” and said the project was a “significant upgrade, designed for speed, safety and innovation.”
🚆The New Pamban Bridge: A modern engineering marvel!
🧵Know the details 👇🏻 pic.twitter.com/SQ5jCaMisO
— Ashwini Vaishnaw (@AshwiniVaishnaw) November 29, 2024
The new Pamban Bridge: An architectural marvel
The new Pamban Bridge is a double-track railway bridge which will connect the Mandapam town in mainland India with Rameswaram on Pamban Island. The new bridge will exist parallel to the old Pamban Bridge which was opened in 1914.
The new bridge will replace the existing sea bridge which is 2 km long. In 1964, a cyclone severely damaged the bridge and was fixed back then. In December 2022, rail traffic on the old Pamban bridge was suspended after cracks were noticed on the bridge.
1/ 🚆India’s first vertical lift railway sea bridge!
The New Pamban Bridge connects the Indian mainland to Rameswaram Island, Tamil Nadu. This state-of-the-art project is a significant upgrade, designed for speed, safety and innovation. pic.twitter.com/HVBafCM1Ne— Ashwini Vaishnaw (@AshwiniVaishnaw) November 29, 2024
While Vaishnaw has shared stunning images and details of the new Pamban bridge, a day earlier, the Railway Safety Commissioner flagged ‘glaring lapses’ regarding the ambitious bridge’s construction between Mandapam and Pamban stations. The Railway Board, in response, has constituted a five-member special committee to probe the lapses.
Pamban Bridge: Old vs New, A Technological Leap
The new Pamban Bridge will connect Rameswaram Island with mainland India and is a significant upgrade, designed for speed, safety and innovation. On the other hand, the old Pamban Rail Bridge was built in 1914 and connected the mainland to Rameswaram for 105 years.
The old bridge used the Manual Scherzer rolling lift span for ship passage and manual operations for ship clearance. Its air clearance was 19 metres above sea level and it had a single track ideal for slower trains. The bridge is a corroded structure and is ideal for low-speed trains.
2/ ⏳A journey through time
🚄Built in 1914, the old Pamban Rail Bridge connected the mainland to Rameswaram for 105 years.
Decommissioned in Dec 2022 due to corrosion, it paved the way for the modern New Pamban Bridge, marking a new era of connectivity! pic.twitter.com/zL1kCOj9jH— Ashwini Vaishnaw (@AshwiniVaishnaw) November 29, 2024
Meanwhile, the new Pamban Bridge has a fully automated vertical lift span which will lead to efficient marine traffic. Its air clearance is 22 m above sea level which is safer for ships. The bridge has been built for double tracks and electrification which will support high-speed trains. Also, its modern design is slick.
New Pamban Bridge: Engineering brilliance
The length of the new Pamban Bridge is 2.05 km, and the Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) has built it at a cost of Rs 535 crores. It has been designed to handle faster trains and increased traffic. The bridge has 100 spans and 99 of them measure 18.3 meters. Also, there is a 73 m navigational span which has been designed for seamless marine traffic.
Is the construction of the bridge complete?
Yes, and the vertical lift span is being tested regularly. The Commission of Railway Safety (CRS) is conducting the final testing, and it is expected that the bridge will be inaugurated soon. The new Pamban Bridge, along with the revamped Rameswaram Railway Station will improve tourism, trade, and connectivity in the region.
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