Construction of new Pamban bridge nearing completion; trial run begins

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: India's first vertical lift rail bridge over the sea from Ramanathapuram Mandapam to Rameswaram will soon become a reality. A train engine was run on a trial basis across the bridge, which is 90% complete. A train with bogies will be run across the bridge in the coming days.

The new bridge will be replacing the Pamban bridge, a memorial to the damage caused by the 1964 cyclone that made Dhanushkodi a ghost town. The 110-year-old bridge was closed on 23 December 2022 for safety reasons.

The authorities had planned to complete the construction of the 2.08 km long new bridge by June 30. However, the work got a bit delayed due to various reasons. It will take two more months to complete the remaining construction. The journey between Rameswaram and Dhanushkodi will become more smooth with the completion of the new bridge. The key feature is the 2.65-degree curved alignment of the bridge. Construction of the fixing point of the lift span will be completed soon.

Rail Vikas Nigam Limited is constructing the new bridge. Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for the new bridge in November 2019. The construction started in February 2020 but was delayed due to Covid.

New bridge

• 12.5 meters above sea level. Three meters more than the old bridge
• The 72.5-meter-long span in the middle will rise steeply to allow boats and ships to pass through.
• Ships up to 22 meters in height can go
• The bridge is on 100 pillars at a distance of 18.3 meters. The lane may be doubled in the future
• Technologies like stainless steel reinforcement, composite sleepers and long-life painting system.