In honour of Ram Navami, Prime Minister Narendra Modi opened the New Pamban Bridge in Tamil Nadu on Sunday. It is the nation's first vertical-lift sea bridge. The new Rameswaram-Tambaram (Chennai) train and a Coast Guard ship that went beneath the bridge were also flagged off by PM Modi. India's engineering skills and innovative infrastructure development are demonstrated by the 2.07-kilometer bridge that spans the Palk Strait in Tamil Nadu, according to the Ministry of Railways. The Pamban Bridge is being compared to well-known bridges such as the Oresund Bridge between Denmark and Sweden, the Golden Gate Bridge in the USA, and the Tower Bridge in the UK. because of its contemporary design and technology.
The bridge, which links Mandapam on the mainland with Rameswaram Island, is situated in the Ramanathapuram district. The 72.5-meter navigational span of the bridge, which was constructed at a cost of more than Rs 700 crore by Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL), a Navratna PSU under the Ministry of Railways, can be vertically raised to 17 meters, enabling ships to sail beneath it without risk. Although it only has one line at the moment, the bridge can accommodate two railway lines. It is designed to manage more rail traffic and larger loads, and it is approved for train speeds of up to 80 kmph.
Also Read: Ram Navami 2025: PM Narendra Modi Extends Wishes On Holy Occasion Of Lord Ram’s Birth
A government statement predicts that the new bridge will last for 100 years. In addition to using fully welded connections, premium protective paint, polysiloxane coating, and stainless steel reinforcing to prevent corrosion in the hostile marine environment, it was built using unique engineering processes that minimise the need for frequent maintenance.
In 1914, British engineers constructed the old Pamban Bridge. A Scherzer's span, a kind of rolling lift bridge, was employed, and it was manually operated. For safety reasons, the passover was closed to rail traffic.