New Pamban Bridge Expected Completion in 2022

New Pamban Bridge Expected Completion in 2022

Whenever the old makes way for the new, there can be a sense of missing something that has been around for years. A sense of looking forward to something that is an improvement over the old. And a myriad of senses in between.

This is not the first time; neither will this be the last time that such things are happening in the world.

In what is the latest buzz around the Southern Railways, it is the Pamban Bridge that evokes such strong sentiments. Commissioned in 1915, this bridge over the sea connects the mainland town of Mandapam with the island town of Rameswaram.

The unique feature of the bridge is a span right in the middle that can lift up to give way to the ships passing underneath. Of course, all these movements are subject to traffic protocol between the railway and the maritime authorities.

This bridge has had an eventful life – major damage during the 1964 cyclonic storm and a barge-induced damage in 2013 were the major disruptors for rail traffic.

The New Pamban Bridge

The new bridge is being constructed by Rail Vikas Nigam Limited, a project execution special purpose vehicle (SPV) of Indian Railways.

• Key Statistics of the New Pamban Bridge
• Sanctioned 2016
• Status Under Construction (Started November 2019)
• Cost Rs 279 crore
• Length 2,050 metres
• Expected Completion 2022

This bridge will have 100 spans of 25 metres each. The central span of 75-m length is the one that helps ships cross the bridge, ” informs the railway official. So, what about large ships going through? He answers, “the entire bridge is being built higher by about 3 metres from the existing bridge. The central span of 75 metres has a lifting mechanism that allows larger vessels than those going through at present.” This is certainly bound to help the maritime industry.

About the safety aspects given the cyclonic storms that form in the Bay of Bengal, the official says that the entire bridge is designed to the highest safety standards now in practice. Latest technology like reinforcement with stainless steel for the bridge pillars, use of latest composite materials providing high-performance coating to prevent biofouling, etc. are some of the measures being taken to make it very safe,” signs off the official.

Source:RailPost