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 | 2,070 metres (6,790 ft) |
| No. of spans | 100 |
| Rail characteristics | |
| No. of tracks | 2 (Completed:1) |
| Electrified | Rigid Overhead Catenary System |
| History | |
| Construction start | February 2020 |
| Construction end | September 2024 |
| Location | |
 | |
The New Pamban Bridge (pronounced: /pɑːmbən/ romanised: pāmban) is a railway bridge that will connect the town of Mandapam in mainland India with Rameswaram on Pamban Island. The new bridge is constructed parallel to the old Pamban Bridge opened in 1914 and was planned to replace the same. It spans a length of 2.07 km (1.29 mi) and includes a 72 m (236 ft) vertical lifting section. It is the first vertical lift sea bridge in India and is expected to be opened for traffic by late 2024.
Background
[edit]The old Pamban Bridge was opened in February 1914 and carried rail traffic between Rameshwaram in Pamban Island and mainland India.[1] The bridge underwent several overhauls over the years to extend its lifespan.[2][3] The bridge was damaged in an accident in 2013 and the Ministry of Railways planned to invest ₹25 crore (US$3.0 million) to upgrade the bridge in 2016.[4][5] In December 2018, fissures developed on the bridge, which halted railway traffic and the Government of India considered building a replacement bridge.[6][7][8] In December 2022, rail transportation on the old bridge was suspended permanently as the bascule section had weakened significantly due to corrosion.[9]
Planning and construction
[edit]In 2020, Government of India announced that a new railway bridge will be constructed near the old Pamban Bridge at a cost of ₹5 billion (US$60 million).[8][10] The construction contract was awarded to Rail Vikas Nigam Limited. The foundation stone for the new bridge was laid by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi in November 2019 and the construction commenced in February 2020.[11][12] The new bridge is constructed parallel to the old bridge and spans a length of 2.07 km (1.29 mi). It has a bascule section of about 72 m (236 ft) which can be lifted vertically using a Scherzer rolling lift trunnion and is the first vertical lift sea bridge in India.[13][14][15] It has 99 spans of 18.3 m (60 ft) length to go along with the vertical lifting span. It is situated about 12.5 m (41 ft) above sea level, which is about 3 m (9.8 ft) higher than the old bridge. The vertical lifting span would be used to raise the central span of the bridge to allow ships of up to 22 m (72 ft) height to pass through.[15][16] The bridge is planned to carry a double track railway.[17]
The construction of the pillars and spans for a single track was completed in September 2024 with trial runs conducted in October 2024.[16] The bridge was expected to be opened for traffic by late 2024 post the approval of the Commission of Railway Safety (CRS).[10] In late November, the CRS permitted operation of trains at a maximum speed of 75 km/h (47 mph) with the speed further limited to 50 km/h (31 mph) on the lifting bascule section. However, the CRS highlighted several concerns and discrepancies in the construction of the bridge such as the non standard design not approved by the Research Design and Standards Organisation, deviation from standard welding procedures that reduced the stress carrying capacity by 36% and insufficient addressing of corrosion.[13][18] In response, the Southern Railway clarified that the bridge was designed by the Spanish consultancy Técnica y Proyectos S.A. according to European and Indian design codes and was proof checked by experts from IIT Madras and IIT Bombay.[19]
References
[edit]- ^ "Pamban bridge: 10 awesome facts about India's first sea bridge - Pamban bridge: India's first sea bridge". The Economic Times. Archived from the original on 11 July 2024. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
- ^ "Delhi's Subway Builder". Forbes. 1 May 2009. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
- ^ "Strengthening of Pamban Railway Bridge". The Hindu. 17 July 2010. Archived from the original on 17 February 2013. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
- ^ "Ship collides into century-old rail bridge". NDTV. 13 January 2013. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
- ^ "Repair work on Pamban bridge fast progressing". The Hindu. 16 January 2013. Archived from the original on 15 September 2024. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
- ^ "Trains to Rameswaram cancelled due to repair work on Pamban". The Times of India. 5 December 2018. Archived from the original on 23 July 2024. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
- ^ "Train Services from Rameswaram to Mandapam Suspended due to Crack in Pamban Bridge". Press108. 18 December 2018. Archived from the original on 1 March 2019. Retrieved 1 March 2019.
- ^ a b "Ministry of Railways confirms New Bridge in Pamban". Press108. 25 December 2018. Archived from the original on 1 March 2019. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
- ^ "Rail traffic on old Pamban bridge permanently stopped". The Hindu. 3 February 2023. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
- ^ a b "New Pamban bridge will be opened after CRS inspection in November, says Southern Railway official". The New Indian Express. 15 October 2024. Retrieved 1 November 2024.
- ^ "New Pamban Bridge: What you need to know about India's first vertical lift sea bridge". Firstpost. 2 December 2022. Archived from the original on 14 July 2023. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
- ^ "New Pamban bridge, India's first vertical lift sea bridge, is 84% complete. See pics". The Hindustan Times. 1 December 2022. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
- ^ a b "New Pamban rail bridge: Commissioner of Railway Safety permits operation of trains but flags 'glaring lapses'". The Hindu. 27 November 2024. Retrieved 29 November 2024.
- ^ "When Heritage Meets Technology: Take A Look At India's First Vertical Lift Rail Sea Bridge". India Times. 29 December 2022. Archived from the original on 14 July 2023. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
- ^ a b "New Pamban bridge work picks up momentum, expected to be over by March 2023". The Hindu. 4 December 2022. ISSN 0971-751X. Archived from the original on 14 July 2023. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
- ^ a b "Test lifting of Pamban bridge to link Rameswaram island with mainland successful". Deccan Herald. 2 October 2024. Retrieved 2 October 2024.
- ^ "Railway Vertical Lift Bridge - Pamban Bridge". Técnica y Proyectos S.A. Retrieved 30 November 2024.
- ^ "New Pamban Railway bridge gets nod for passenger service". DT next. 28 November 2024. Retrieved 29 November 2024.
- ^ "Southern Railway clarifies that Pamban Bridge was designed by TYPSA, proof checked by IIT Madras". DT next. 28 November 2024. Retrieved 29 November 2024.