New Pamban Bridge: Century-Old Icon Reborn With Cutting-Edge Technology | All You Need To Know

Over a century after the original Pamban Bridge was constructed across the Palk Strait in Rameswaram, India is preparing to unveil a cutting-edge replacement.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to inaugurate the New Pamban Bridge - the nation's first vertical-lift sea bridge - in Tamil Nadu on Sunday.

Photo Credit: PTI

Situated in Ramanathapuram district, the bridge links Rameswaram Island to Mandapam on the mainland.

Key Features of the New Pamban Bridge:

• The New Pamban Bridge stretches 2.07 kilometres across the Palk Strait.
• It incorporates a 72.5-metre navigational span that can be vertically lifted to a height of 17 metres, enabling ships to safely pass underneath.
• Though currently operating with a single railway line, its substructure is designed to accommodate two tracks.
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• Trains will be able to traverse the bridge at speeds of up to 80 km/h, with the structure capable of handling increased traffic and heavier loads.
• Built by Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL), a Navratna Public Sector Undertaking under the Ministry of Railways, the bridge cost approximately ₹550 crore.
• Engineered for a lifespan of 100 years, the bridge employs advanced construction methods that minimise maintenance requirements.

• Materials used include stainless steel reinforcements, fully welded joints, high-grade protective paints, and a polysiloxane coating to protect against marine corrosion.

• It has been constructed 3 metres higher than the original bridge to improve clearance for maritime vessels.

• The lift span girder was assembled using the "Auto Launching Method based on Relationship Principle," developed by Suntech Construction and validated by IIT Madras.

• The girder segments were pre-painted and inspected off-site, transported to Pamban by lorry, and assembled using EOT cranes on a temporary platform. Engineers conducted precision welding checks using PAUT (Phased Array Ultrasonic Testing).

The bridge has drawn comparisons to iconic structures such as the Golden Gate Bridge in the US, Tower Bridge in the UK, and the Øresund Bridge connecting Denmark and Sweden due to its advanced design and engineering.

The original Pamban Bridge, completed in 1914 by British engineers, featured a manually operated Scherzer span - a type of rolling lift bridge.

Its 61-metre truss could be raised up to 81 degrees to allow ships to pass. That bridge has since been closed to rail traffic due to safety concerns.