New Pamban Bridge

Prelims – Current Events of National Importance.

Mains (GS III) – Infrastructure.

Why in News?

PM Modi to inaugurate New Pamban Rail Bridge on Ram Navami.

Old Bridge

Pamban Bridge was a railway bridge that connected the town of Rameswaram on Pamban Island with Mandapam in mainland India.
Built in – 1914 by British government.
It is India’s first sea bridge, built for trade.
It remained India’s longest sea link until the Bandra-Worli sea link opened in 2010.
Bascule Mechanism - It had a double-leaf bascule section with a Scherzer rolling-type lift span that used to be raised to let ships pass.
It is considered a technical marvel as the bridge was constructed with lesser availability and the corrosive environment it withstood.
Life span – 108 years until 2022.

New Bridge

Built by - Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL).
The new bridge is India’s first vertical lift sea bridge, which will replace the century-old original Pamban Bridge.
It is a state-of-the-art infrastructure project, ensuring faster rail movement and seamless maritime navigation.
Expected lifespan - 58 years.
Key Features
The bridge features a vertical lift span that can be raised in just 5 minutes to allow ships to pass.
Built with stainless steel reinforcements and Polysiloxane Paint, the bridge is designed to withstand harsh marine conditions.
Trains can now travel at speeds of up to 75 kmph, a much higher speed from the previous 10 kmph limit.
With a clearance of 22 meters above sea level, surpasses the old bridge’s 1.5-meter clearance, allowing larger vessels to pass.
Designed to support future railway electrification, the bridge ensures seamless upgrades to modern rail systems.