New Pamban Bridge
Indian Railways’ first Vertical Lift Sea Bridge being fast-tracked
Over the roaring seas, Indian Railways’ one of the most challenging infrastructure is coming up. The New Pamban Bridge Rameswaram shall be India’s first Vertical Lift Railway Sea Bridge. Currently, it is at the construction stage with the work going on in full swing.
The Indian Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi laid the foundation of this bridge in Kanyakumari in March 2019. The New Pamban Bridge will be 2.07 km long in total. It shall. be linking Mandapam in the state of Tamil Nadu to Rameswaram at the Pamban island. An amount of ₹280 crores is being spent on the construction of the New Pamban Bridge.
According to the Railway Ministry, the development work on the Vertical Lift Railway Sea Bridge is being fast-tracked. Railway Minister Piyush Goyal said that the upcoming New Pamban Bridge would enhance the convenience of pilgrims visiting the holy site of Rameswaram.
It is expected to be a boon for devotees and pilgrims who wish to embark on a spiritual tour to Dhanushkodi and Rameswaram, in the state of Tamil Nadu.
The New Pamban Bridge would replace the old bridge which had played a major role in connecting Pamban Island with mainland India.
About Old Pamban Bridge:
- It connects the town of Mandapam in mainland India with Pamban and Rameshwaram.
- Its construction started in 1911. It started its operations in 1914.
- It was India’s first sea bridge and was the longest sea bridge in India until the opening of the Bandra-Worli Sea Link in 2010.
- It was referred to as the ‘Queen of Indian bridges’.
Why is the New Pamban Bridge constructed?
- The old bridge is about 106 years old and requires frequent maintenance. It has a limited capacity for train operations.
- Indian Railways will be able to operate trains on the route at a higher speed. It will also allow trains to hold more weight.
- It is expected to promote tourism in this region, mainly for pilgrimage purposes as a large number of devotees come to visit Rameshwaram Temple and Jyotirling every year.
Technology & Features
- It will be Indian Railways’ first vertical-lift rail sea-bridge.
- The bridge will be constructed with the help of modern techniques.
- The beauty of this bridge is that its middle part gets lifted to let ships pass through during travel. This technology is known as ‘Scherzer’ rolling lift technology.
- That is the new vertical lift bridge will have ‘Scherzer’ rolling lift technology.
- The new Pamban Bridge will be equipped with electro-mechanical controlled systems.
- It will be interlocked with the train control systems to provide seamless system connectivity.
It will be over 2 kilometres long with 100 spans of 18.3 metres, one navigational span of 63 metres that will move vertically upwards, allowing ships/steamers movement.
The New Pamban Bridge is scheduled for completion by December 2021.
This project, along with many others, is a clear epitome of the increasing number of innovative and highly-skilled efforts taken by our government in improving the transportation situation in our country, as well as promoting innovation. We certainly believe that our government shall come with many such new projects, in the field of civil engineering as a whole, that may improve our country’s growth in many aspects.
Author: Aayush Chopra
