PM Modi to usher in brand-new Pamban Bridge onSunday Why is it being proclaimed as ‘engineering marvel’?–

On April 6 (Sunday), India will certainly witness a sea-change. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will certainly usher in the nation’s very first upright lift sea bridge at Pamban, which will certainly attach Rameswaram with landmass India.

The brand-new building and construction will certainly change the initial Pamban Bridge, which was opened up to the general public in 1914 and was closed down just in December 2022 as a result of substantial deterioration and safety and security worries.

As we wait for the launch of the brand-new Pamban Bridge, below’s a wrap-up on the initial one and why the brand-new framework is thought about a design wonder.

Old Pamban Bridge that endured a cyclone

Before we study the functions of the brand-new Pamban Bridge, allow’s do a fast wrap-up of the old building and construction, which was tossed open up to the general public in 1914. Efforts to construct such a bridge goes back to as very early as the 1870s with the British management intending to increase profession connection to Sri Lanka, after that Ceylon.

However, the building and construction of the rail bridge started just by 1911 and it was appointed on February 24, 1914, making it India’s very first sea bridge. The bridge was made by Scherzer Rolling Lift Bridge Company of Chicago and was created by Head Wrightson & & Co Ltd of Thornaby- on-Tees England Its period was called after Scherzer, the designer that made and implemented it. The Scherzer period job started in July 1913 and was finished in 6 months by December.

1950s:: Pamban Rail Bridge Opens Up to Allow Ship Movement

Constructed In 1914 Pamban Bridge Was India’s First Sea Bridge pic.twitter.com/zUmClMY1Le

— indianhistorypics (@India Historypic) March 14, 2019

Once constructed, the Pamban Bridge was the single transport web link in between landmass Ramanathapuram and Rameswaram island, which is located simply a couple of miles far fromSri Lanka In truth, it continued to be the only transportation web link for over 70 years till a roadway bridge was constructed close to it in 1988.

In 1964, an extreme whirlwind tornado likewise called the Rameswaram cyclone hit Tamil Nadu on December 23 and 24. Such was the extent of the cyclone that it eliminated the whole seaside community of
Dhanushkodi However, 2 days after the tornado hit, when authorities mosted likely to check they saw that the Pamban Bridge had actually stood up to the tornado, although it was fairly harmed. Of the 146 periods, 126 gotten rid of and 2 piers of the bridge likewise gotten rid of.

Shortly after the cyclone,
E Sreedharan, that is currently called India’s Metro Man, was entrusted with the remediation of the bridge and offered simply 6 months to do so. However, he surpassed everybody’s assumptions and the Pamban bridge was up and running once more within 46 days. “I had a very ordinary, uneventful career in the Indian Railways from December 1954 to June 1990. No doubt, restoration of the Pamban Bridge gave me an excellent opportunity to demonstrate my technical and organisational competence,” he’s been estimated as stating to India Today.

Corrosion pressures bridge to close down

As years gone by, the Pamban rail bridge remained to stand high offering to be a web link in between Rameswaram and landmassIndia In truth, it was India’s lengthiest sea web link till the Rajiv Gandhi Sea Link, commonly called the Bandra-Worli Sea Link, in Mumbai opened up in 2010.

But deterioration began to compromise the framework. In 2020, keeping an eye on systems imported from Germany assisted expand the life of the framework for one more 2 years. Train solutions were put on hold in December 2022 and later on completely quit after the sensing units discharged alarm system over extreme resonances throughout train motion. The designers really felt that the bridge, which offered for over a century, was irreparable.

A brand-new design wonder

In 2019, the choice was required to construct a brand-new Pamban Bridge and a fundamental rock was laid for the very same. Work was originally delayed for the bridge because of the Covid -19 pandemic, however job was lastly finished in November 2024 at a complete expense of Rs 535 crore.

The brand-new Pamban Bridge covers a total amount of 2.08 kilometre and stands 3 metres greater than the oldPamban Bridge This permits the smaller sized ships to pass underneath without raising the period. Moreover, on the brand-new bridge, trains can run at rates of approximately 98 kmph– contrasted to a rate of just approximately 10 kmph on the old one. Also, the brand-new Pamban bridge is crafted to take care of dramatically much heavier tons, made for 25 tonnes axle lots.

Speaking on the framework, the Southern Railway stated, “This new railway sea bridge between Mandapam railway station (mainland) and the Rameshwaram island is not just a replacement for the old Pamban Bridge; it represents a colossal leap in India’s engineering capabilities.”

The most impressive function of the brand-new Pamban bridge is the advanced upright lift device, making it the very first upright lift train sea bridge inIndia The brand-new bridge uses an upright lift 72-metre main period that increases 22 metre over the water, enabling bigger vessels to pass underneath easily. Under rail website traffic, the bridge stays merely sustained at 2 ends hence making certain outright security.

“While the new Pamban Bridge is India’s first vertical lift sea bridge, it shares similarities with other globally recognized 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.

“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 Southern Railway stated in a main launch, pricing estimate CMD of RVNL, Pradeep Gaur.

Officials associated with the building and construction of the brand-new bridge likewise keep in mind the several obstacles they encountered. The Pamban bridge lies in the Palk Strait’s unstable waters, triggering excellent problem to the employees. Moreover, the area is extremely at risk to cyclones, which compelled authorities to take into consideration cautious preparation.

India’s design wonder …

Pamban Bridge in Rameswaram pic.twitter.com/UJ4v8r3vWa

— Ashwini Vaishnaw (@AshwiniVaishnaw) March 27, 2025

However, with its use top-quality stainless-steel support in concrete, the bridge is currently not just able to endure seismic task however likewise deterioration.

“The new Pamban Bridge stands as a proud symbol of what India can achieve when innovation, tradition and engineering excellence converge,” stated RVNL.

According to a News18 record, Prime Minister Modi will certainly usher in the brand-new Pamban Bridge on Sunday from a system put up on the Pamban Road Bridge, where he will certainly mean the period of the 12-minute launch series.

With inputs from firms