New Pamban, India's first vertical lift railway bridge nears completion

India's inaugural vertical lift railway bridge over the sea, the new Pamban Bridge, is a captivating marvel set to link Rameswaram on Pamban Island to Mandapam on the mainland. Anticipated for inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the coming months, this engineering feat is being constructed alongside the existing Pamban Bridge by Rail Vikas Nigam at an estimated cost of Rs 5.35 billion. Here are some noteworthy aspects that distinguish the new Pamban Bridge: As of now, the new Pamban Bridge stands at 90% completion, with its foundation stone laid by PM Narendra Modi in 2019. Designed to accommodate a double railway line and future electrification, aligning with Indian Railways' broad gauge network electrification initiative. Spanning just over 2 kilometres, the bridge boasts 99 spans featuring 18.3-meter-long girders, with a navigational span extending 63 meters. A standout feature is the vertical lift facility, a pioneering addition in India. This mechanism, interlocked with the train control system, enables smooth passage for boats beneath the bridge. During shipping traffic, rail operations pause, allowing the vertical lift span to ascend, creating ample clearance for boats. This vertical lift, unprecedented in the country, provides a full horizontal length of 72.5 meters for navigation. Notably, the new Pamban Bridge surpasses its predecessor, standing 3 meters higher and offering a navigational air clearance of 22 meters above mean sea level. In contrast, the old Pamban Bridge relied on the manual operation of the Scherzer's Span, a 61-meter steel truss named after the bridge's engineer. This truss opened up to 81 degrees in the vertical plane to facilitate boat passage. The current non-operational state of the old Pamban Bridge, India's first sea bridge inaugurated in 1914, led to its suspension of rail traffic in December 2022. Red alerts from sensors prompted this action, and concerns about stability voiced by IIT-Madras and the Research Design and Standards Organisation of Indian Railways resulted in its permanent closure. With the imminent opening of the new Pamban Bridge, designated as Indian Railways' Bridge No 346, the aging icon will be retired, potentially paving the way for its dismantling.