PM Modi Inaugurates India’s First Vertical-Lift Rail Bridge at Pamban; Flags Off Rameswaram-Tambaram Train

Prime Minister Narendra Modi officially opened the new Pamban sea bridge, establishing a rail connection between the mainland and Rameswaram island. This development will enhance accessibility to the spiritual site, which attracts devotees from all over the country and abroad year-round.

Ramanathapuram: The new Pamban Bridge, connecting Rameswaram with mainland India, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Ram Navami (April 6).(PTI)

Spanning 2.07 kilometers across the Palk Strait in Tamil Nadu, the New Pamban Bridge is a remarkable display of India's engineering excellence and forward-thinking infrastructure development, according to a statement from the Ministry of Railways.

What makes the bridge so special?

The bridge features a 72.5-meter-long vertical lift with two tracks. Its approach consists of 88 spans of 18.3-meter steel plate girders, designed for a single rail line. The bridge's history dates back to 1914, when British engineers constructed the original Pamban Bridge. This bridge, featuring a cantilever design with a Scherzer Rolling Lift span, connected Rameswaram Island to mainland India. The new bridge, approved in 2019, is three meters higher than the original, improving sea connectivity.

The Ministry noted that the bridge is built with stainless steel reinforcement, high-quality protective paint, and fully welded joints. A special polysiloxane coating safeguards it against corrosion, ensuring durability in the harsh marine environment.

The construction of the state-of-the-art sea bridge addresses the challenges of increasing traffic volumes, durability, and smoother maritime navigation. The New Pamban Bridge was designed to overcome the limitations of its predecessor, fostering improved regional connectivity and economic growth.

The original bridge, constructed in 1914, was crucial for trade and pilgrimage, but it could no longer meet modern rail demands. Given the region's seismic activity, cyclones, and marine corrosion, a resilient and technologically advanced replacement was necessary.

The Ministry highlighted that constructing the new Pamban Bridge posed various challenges, including environmental hurdles and logistical issues. The turbulent waters, strong winds, and unpredictable weather of the Palk Strait made the construction process difficult. Moreover, the region's vulnerability to cyclones and seismic events required detailed planning and a robust design.

The solution was to use the 'Auto Launching Method based on Relationship Principle' for launching the lift span girder pier-to-pier, developed by Suntech Construction Engineering Consultants and validated by IIT Madras.

For transportation, assembly, and final welding, the segments were trucked to Pamban, where a temporary platform with two Electric Overhead Traveling (EOT) cranes was used to assemble the girders. Welding took place in specialized huts, with joints inspected by Phased Array Ultrasonic Testing (PAUT), and corrosion protection was applied through metalizing and painting.

India's first vertical lift sea bridge, the new Pamban Bridge, shares design similarities with globally recognized bridges, such as the Golden Gate Bridge in the United States, Tower Bridge in London, and the Oresund Bridge connecting Denmark and Sweden.

PM Modi Witnesses the Ram Setu

On his return journey from Sri Lanka, PM Modi observed the Ram Setu and shared an aerial footage.

"On the way back from Sri Lanka a short while ago, was blessed to have a Darshan of the Ram Setu. And, as a divine coincidence, it happened at the same time as the Surya Tilak was taking place in Ayodhya. Blessed to have the Darshan of both. Prabhu Shri Ram is a uniting force for all of us. May His blessings always remain upon us," he shared in a post on X.

Ram Setu, also called Adam's Bridge, is a chain of shoals that connects India and Sri Lanka. Spanning 48 kilometers, it extends from Rameswaram Island on India's southeastern coast to Mannar Island in Sri Lanka. This natural formation separates the Gulf of Mannar to the south, part of the Indian Ocean, from the Palk Strait to the north, which is an inlet of the Bay of Bengal.

(This Article was originally published by MSN)