GUWAHATI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday, April 6, inaugurated the New Pamban Bridge in Tamil Nadu. It is the first vertical-lift sea bridge, which stretches 2.07 kilometres across the Palk Strait, connects Rameswaram Island to Mandapam on the mainland.
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The bridge was unveiled on the occasion of Ram Navami. Built at a cost of over ₹700 crore by Rail Vikas Nigam Limited, the structure stands in the Ramanathapuram district and replaces the iconic old Pamban Bridge, which had been operational since 1914 before being shut to rail traffic for safety reasons.
The New Pamban Bridge features a 72.5-metre span that can be lifted vertically to a height of 17 metres, allowing ships to pass beneath with ease. It currently runs a single railway line but is equipped to handle two. Designed to support speeds up to 80 kmph and heavier loads, it is expected to meet the growing demand for rail connectivity in the region.
PM Modi also flagged off a Coast Guard ship that passed under the bridge, as well as a new Rameswaram–Tambaram (Chennai) train. According to the Railways Ministry, the bridge has a projected lifespan of 100 years and is built using corrosion-resistant materials and modern engineering techniques to withstand the tough coastal environment.
With its cutting-edge design, the bridge is being compared to global icons like the Tower Bridge in London and the Golden Gate in San Francisco.
Following the inauguration, PM Modi visited the Ramanathaswamy Temple in Rameswaram to offer prayers and is set to lay foundation stones for several road and rail projects in Tamil Nadu, worth over ₹8,300 crore.