Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate India’s first vertical lift railway Sea bridge, Pamban Bridge, in Tamil Nadu on 6th April, on Ramnavmi. The 2.07 km bridge will cross the Palk Strait to facilitate smoother connectivity between Rameswaram and mainland India.
The bridge will replace the original Pamban Bridge built in 1914 in a cantilever structure with a Scherzer Rolling Lift span. Over time, the bridge started to get affected by the harsh marine environment and eventually became inefficient for the growing traffic demand. In 2019, the Centre sanctioned the construction of a new bridge designed to meet modern transportation needs while preserving the cultural significance of the place as well.
Pandan 2.0
The new bridge is designed by Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL), a public sector unit under the Ministry of Railway, in a technologically advanced format. The key features of the bridge include a 72.5 m navigation span that can be raised up to 17 m to allow larger ships to pass, enhanced durability including stainless steel reinforcement, high-grade protective paint, the presence of structures to accommodate two tracks and a 3 m height to not affect sea connectivity negatively.
However, the construction of the bridge involved environmental challenges like turbulent water, cyclones and seismic activities in the region. Despite this, the project was completed safely. The new Pamban Bridge will showcase India’s growing infrastructure capabilities and is designed to ensure a lifespan of over 100 years.
