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New Pamban bridge Rameswaram: All about India’s iconic rail wonder

The bridge, linking Rameswaram to the mainland, stands as a remarkable feat of Indian engineering on the global stage. It is built at a cost of over Rs 550 crore

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Shailesh Khanduri
New Update
New Pamban bridge

New Delhi: As Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurates India's first vertical lift sea bridge in Rameswaram on Sunday, April 6, India is set to witness yet another rail engineering marvel.

The bridge carries a deep cultural significance. According to the Ramayana, the construction of Ram Setu was initiated from Dhanushkodi near Rameswaram.

The bridge, linking Rameswaram to the mainland, stands as a remarkable feat of Indian engineering on the global stage. It is built at a cost of over Rs 550 crore.

It is 2.08 km in length, features 99 spans and a 72.5-metre vertical lift span that rises up to a height of 17 metres, facilitating smooth movement of larger ships while ensuring seamless train operations, it said.

Constructed with stainless steel reinforcement, high-grade protective paint, and fully welded joints, the bridge boasts increased durability and reduced maintenance needs. It is designed for dual rail tracks to accommodate future demands. A special polysiloxane coating protects it from corrosion, ensuring longevity in the harsh marine environment.

In 1914, British engineers constructed the original Pamban Bridge, a cantilever (a long piece of metal or wood that extends from a wall to support the end of a bridge) structure with a Scherzer Rolling Lift span to connect Rameswaram Island with mainland India.

For over a century, it served as a critical lifeline for pilgrims, tourists, and trade. However, the harsh marine environment and growing transportation demands necessitated a modern solution. In 2019, the Government of India sanctioned the construction of a technologically advanced, future-ready replacement.

The new Pamban Bridge was constructed by Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL), a Navratna PSU under the Ministry of Railways overcoming several challenges, including environmental obstacles to logistical complexities, the Palk Strait’s turbulent waters, strong winds, and unpredictable weather patterns created difficulties in the construction process.

Additionally, the region’s susceptibility to cyclones and seismic activity necessitated careful planning and robust design. It shares similarities with other globally recognised bridges known for their technological advancements and unique designs. These include the Golden Gate Bridge in the United States, Tower Bridge in London and the Oresund Bridge in Denmark-Sweden. Each of these iconic structures, though different in design and functionality, represents a pinnacle of engineering excellence.

"Now, the new Pamban Bridge stands proudly in their company, combining cutting-edge technology with the challenges posed by India’s coastal and seismic conditions," the Indian Railways said.

The bridge is safe to operate trains at 80 kmph speed for 100 years, said MP Singh, director (operations) at Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL).

Singh, who was also one of the five members of the Expert Committee formed last November to look into the safety concerns, said the panel thoroughly examined all aspects of this iconic bridge.

The committee has concluded that the bridge is structurally safe to operate trains at 80 kmph for 100 years, he said.

In January, a document shared by Southern Railway said that the "robust surface protection system against corrosion can extend the bridge's lifespan to 38 years without maintenance and up to 58 years with minimal maintenance".

"Though the bridge is safe to operate trains at 160 kmph, due to a curvature in its alignment towards the Rameshwaram end, the speed has been safely fixed at 80 kmph," Singh told PTI, adding that every aspect of the bridge underwent intense scrutiny after the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) flagged some concern on its design and fatigue.

In November 2024, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had formed a high-level committee of five members consisting of principal executive directors from the Railway Board (Bridges) and Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO), chief bridge engineer from Southern Railway and the RVNL director, along with an external expert from IIT-Roorkee.

The committee was assigned to look into the safety concerns of CRS, who had flagged issues such as faults in alignment, lack of anti-corrosion measures, flaws in the signalling system among others, imposing a speed restriction of 50 kmph.

"The committee deliberated on the adequacy of the design of the bridge and all other points of concern and found that they as per relevant provisions," Singh said, adding that the bridge has the fatigue for annual traffic of 50 GMT (Gross Million Tonnes) and a design life of 100 years.

According to him, the vertical lift span, the most iconic structure that will rise to a height of 17 m for ships to pass under it, strictly follows the Indian and Euro Codes duly assessed for fatigue.

Singh also mentioned that IIT Bombay and IIT Madras were also involved in the vetting of designs.

"The panel even looked at welding of joints and found that it was done by competent welders. Further, Independent weld checking has been done by Welding Research Institute, Trichy controlled by BHEL," he said.

"For two years, from 2017 to 2019, a team of our experts visited the UK, the USA and a couple of other European countries only to study the global practice in the existing moveable bridges and decide a suitable design and structure for Pamban," Singh said, adding that after examining global practices the RVNL started the construction in December 2019.

The old bridge, constructed and commissioned by the Britishers in 1914, was operational for train services till December 23, 2022, completing over 108 years of its existence in a highly corrosive environment and unpredictable weather conditions.

According to the Railways, the new bridge, linking Rameswaram to the mainland, stands as a remarkable feat of Indian engineering on the global stage.

Narendra Modi Tamil Nadu Indian railways Pamban Rail Bridge Pamban Island Pamban sea bridge