RAMANATHAPURAM: The Pamban railway bridge in Ramanathapuram district, Tamil Nadu, is set to be Asia's first vertical-lift bridge and is engineered by Typsa, Spain-based firm. Measuring 72.5 meters, the bridge is expected to have a maximum lift of 17 meters and towers rising up to 34 meters, Srinivasan, Senior Deputy General Manager of Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd (RVNL), explains.
Connecting Mandapam to Rameshwaram Island, the bridge is approximately 658 kilometers from Chennai. To facilitate maritime traffic, the Tamil Nadu Maritime Board must obtain permission from railway authorities to lift the bridge's girder, a process that takes about 11 minutes in total. The previous Pamban bridge was permanently closed in December 2022 due to structural deterioration.
The new bridge was constructed originally in 1914 and upgraded for broad gauge in 2007. The construction of the new bridge started in February 2019 but was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which resumed in November 2024. The project cost of Rs 531 crores included provisions for the future double line and electrification.
The bridge will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in February 2025. NFR Chief Public Relations Officer Kapinjal Kishore Sharma observed that the bridge is a great achievement for Indian Railways, as it proves its advanced engineering capabilities, although it does not join the Northeast to Rameshwaram directly. It will offer residents of the region better traveling options.
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