India's Engineering Marvel: Pamban Bridge Rameswaram - First Visuals, Amazing Facts

New Pamban Bridge is a railway bridge that connects Mandapam in mainland India to Rameswaram on Pamban Island. It is speculated that the renovated version of the bridge will be integrated soon.

Pamban Bridge: History

The old Pamban Bridge was opened in February 1914 and carried rail traffic between Rameshwaram in Pamban Island and mainland India. In 2023, the government announced that a new railway bridge would be constructed near the old Pamban Bridge at the cost of Rs 5 Bn Or US$60 Mn. Plans for a bridge to connect to the mainland were suggested in 1870 as the British Administration sought ways to increase trade with Ceylon. The construction began in August 1911. The bridge was opened for traffic on 24 February 1914 and connected Rameshwaram in Pamban Island with mainland India.

Government Announced Construction Of New Pamban Vertical Lift 

“Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu | New Pamban Vertical Lift Railway Bridge to be ready soon. Construction of the new railway bridge at Pamban, the gateway to Rameswaram island, has been underway since 2020 and the major part of the bridge has been completed.”

The Indian Railways also tweeted, “Under the azure sky and above the boundless sea, witness a harmony between nature and Indian Railways’ engineering marvel, India’s 1st vertical lift Railway sea bridge, the New Pamban Bridge.”

About Pamban Bridge

The railway bridge is located 12.5 m (41 ft) above sea level and is 6,776 ft (2,065 m) long. The bridge consists of 143 piers and has a double-leaf bascule section with a Scherzer rolling-type lift span that can be raised to let ships pass. Each half of the lifting span weighs 415 tonnes (457 tons). The two leaves of the bridge are opened manually using levers.

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