- By Shibra Siddiqui
- Sun, 06 Apr 2025 01:51 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the new Pamban bridge in Tamil Nadu on Sunday after the old one was decommissioned in December 2022. PM Modi also flagged off the Rameswaram-Tambaram express train service in TN. The significant development marks the opening of India’s first vertical lift sea bridge. The 2.07-kilometer-long bridge will provide more efficient and smoother connectivity between Rameswaram Island and mainland India.
The new Pamban bridge replaced the old one built in 1914, which served for over 100 years before it was decommissioned in 2022. In 2019, it was decided to build a parallel bridge. The trains will cross the Bay of Bengal to reach the stations on Pamban Island. Notably, the trains were ending their trips at Mandapam station after the old Pamban Bridge went out of service.
The new Pamban Bridge is a technologically advanced structure designed by Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL), a public sector unit under the Ministry of Railways.
Close to 30 trains, with up and down journeys, are expected from Rameswaram station depending on their schedules during the week. Among the trains that will cater to Rameswaram is the newly launched Rameswaram-Tambaram daily express train that will take 11 hours and 30 minutes to complete the journey.
Key Features
The 72.5-meter navigational span can be raised up to 17 meters to allow larger ships to pass.
The bridge is 3 meters higher than the existing one, improving sea connectivity.
It is built with materials designed to ensure durability, including stainless steel reinforcement and high-grade protective paint and features a special polysiloxane coating to protect it from corrosion..
The bridge’s substructure is designed to accommodate two tracks, with the superstructure currently supporting a single line.