As India’s first vertical lift railway sea bridge, the new Pamban Bridge, is slated to open in March next year, some facts about this technological marvel connect Rameswaram to the rest of India.
India is home to several architectural masterpieces, and one more will be added to the list shortly. The 105-year-old Pamban Rail Bridge, which connects Rameswaram to the rest of India, is receiving a makeover. It will be the country’s first vertical-lift sea bridge, linking Rameswaram in the Arabian Sea to mainland India, opening in March of next year.
The first vertical lift sea railway bridge in India is now under development at Rameshwaram, Tamil Nadu. The new Pamban railway bridge is being built by Piyush Goyal’s Indian Railways. In Rameshwaram, construction on a pillar in the sea to support a vertical lift railway sea bridge has already begun.
The construction of this bridge began on November 8, 2019, and is expected to be finished within the following two years. This vertical sea bridge will be 2.05 kilometres long and would be a first-of-its-kind project for Indian Railways. The bridge will connect the mainland to Pamban island once it is completed.
The bridge will have India’s first vertical launch rail portion, which is quite exciting. The Railway Minister took to Twitter to present an animation video of the vertical lift sea bridge, which will be completed when it is completed.
Until recently, the city was linked to the mainland by the century-old Pamban Bridge. Before the Bandra-Worli Sea Link, the bridge was the country’s first and longest sea bridge, opening in 1914.
It opens upwards at a 90-degree angle, based on the Scherzer rolling lift concept.
The new type, which is being built next to the previous one, comprises a vertical panel to facilitate cross-commuting trains and sea boats. The Scherzer span is controlled manually in the older model.
With 101 piers, it will be 3 metres taller than the present bridge and provide more clearance area for maritime boats such as streamers to traverse.
The Vertical Bridge can travel at faster speeds and carry more passengers.
The new 2.05-kilometre Pamban railway bridge in Mandapam will allow ships and steamers to sail across without incident. Furthermore, trains between Pamban and Rameswaram may travel faster, carry more people, and carry heavier loads.
The construction of the more than 2.5km long bridge would cost over 250 crores. It will also include a 63-meter stretch that will rise, with the remainder running parallel to the deck to access the ships. The current bridge uses ‘Scherzer’ rolling lift technology, which allows the bridge to extend horizontally to let ships pass.
A 63-metre segment of the new bridge, on the other hand, will lift vertically upwards while remaining parallel to the deck. Sensors will also be installed at both ends of the bridge.
“Good News for Ramanathaswamy Temple Devotees: Work on India’s First Vertical Lift Railway Sea Bridge is in Full Swing at Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu,” the minister stated in his tweet. PM @NarendraModi Ji lay the foundation stone for this 2 km long bridge linking Rameswaram on Pamban island and mainland India.”
According to reports, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for this bridge in Kanyakumari in March 2019. The bridge would allow Indian Railways trains to go faster and with greater weight on the route. Furthermore, it will increase traffic flow between the Pamban mainland and Rameswaram island, significant religious importance.
5 Important Points: The new railway bridge will be 2.2 kilometres long.
It will allow trains to carry greater weight faster, making it more straightforward for pilgrims and goods transit trains to and from Rameswaram’s port city.
The bridge will be 63 metres long and rise while staying parallel to the deck to access the ships.
It will be powered by electromechanical technologies that work in tandem with train control systems.
Its substructure and navigational line are both being built with a double line track.
