New Pamban Bridge
New Pamban Bridge | |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 9°16′57.25″N 79°12′5.91″E / 9.2825694°N 79.2016417°E |
| Carries | Rail |
| Locale | Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu, India |
| Owner | Indian Railways |
| Characteristics | |
| Total length | 2.07 kilometres (1.29 mi) |
| No. of spans | 100 |
| Rail characteristics | |
| No. of tracks | 1 |
| History | |
| Construction start | February 2020 |
| Construction end | 2023 (expected) |
| Location | |
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The New Pamban Bridge (pronounced: /pɑːmbən/ romanised: pāmban) is a railway bridge under construction that will connect the town of Mandapam in mainland India with Rameswaram on Pamban Island.[1] The new bridge is constructed parallel to the iconic Pamban bridge opened in 1914 and will replace it. The new Pamban bridge with a length of 2.07 km is India's first ever vertical lift sea bridge. It is expected to be opened in 2023.[2]
Overview
The Indian Railways decided to construct a new bridge parallel to the old Pamban bridge with a length of 2.065 km when after considering its age and difficulty in maintenance. Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for the new bridge in November 2019. The construction is being executed by Rail Vikas Nigam Limited at an estimated cost of ₹540 crore.[3] In February 2020, the bridge construction got under way. It will have 100 spans across the sea and is 12.5 metres above sea level. The new bridge will be 3 metres higher than the old one. The vertical lift span of the bridge is around 72 metres. The span can be lifted because of this lift span. Automatic lifting technology is used to raise the center of the bridge to allow ships to easily pass through. The new technology will allow the bridge to have a navigational air clearance of 22 meters above sea level.[4]
References
- ^ "New Pamban bridge, India's first vertical lift sea bridge, is 84% complete. See pics". Hindustan Times. 1 December 2022. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
- ^ "When Heritage Meets Technology: Take A Look At India's First Vertical Lift Rail Sea Bridge". IndiaTimes. 29 December 2022. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
- ^ "New Pamban Bridge: What you need to know about India's first vertical lift sea bridge". Firstpost. 2 December 2022. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
- ^ "New Pamban bridge work picks up momentum, expected to be over by March 2023". The Hindu. 4 December 2022. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 14 July 2023.