New Pamban Bridge: Opening Date, Construction Status, Location, Features, And Other Key Details

The new Pamban Bridge is India’s first vertical lift bridge, which is about to be completed and is expected to be put into operation by April 2025. Spanning 2.10 km, it will connect Mandapam to Rameswaram in Pamban Island on the mainland, thus enhancing the railway connectivity of Tamil Nadu.

The bridge replaced the old Pamba Bridge in the British era, which has served the area for more than a century. Its modern vertical lift design allows for a 72.5-meter span to be raised to allow the ship to pass, thus ensuring smooth maritime navigation.

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Construction of the bridge began in February 2020 after the foundation laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in November 2019. Despite the pandemic on the 19th, the project is still in its final stages.

The bridge is built for Rs 53.5 crore and is designed as a train, travels 75 km/h with an air gap of 22 meters to prevent damage to seawater.

The new Pamban Bridge is a major infrastructure milestone. It will improve transportation, trade and tourism in the region while providing safer and more durable rail links.

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New Pamban Bridge: Key Features, Meaning and Timelines

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The new Pamban Bridge is an important engineering miracle for India, marking the country’s first vertical lift bridge. It aims to replace the 105-year-old Pamban Bridge, enhancing connectivity between the Indian mainland of Tamil Nadu and Ramswaran Island.

#. Key Features

• Length and design: The bridge spans approximately 2.10 km with a 72-meter vertical lifting area. It is constructed parallel to the old Pamban Bridge, with a span of 99 meters each and a span of 18.3 meters each.
• Vertical lift mechanism: The vertical lift of the bridge can be raised to allow the ship to pass underneath, providing up to 22 meters of air gap. Unlike the manual operation of the old bridge, the mechanism is fully automated using an electromechanical system.
• Speed ​​and Capacity: New bridges support higher train speeds – Most parts are in the 75 km/h speed and 50 km/h in the lift zone, related to the 10 km/h limit of the old bridge in the lift range.
• Building details: The project was built by Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) for Rs 5.35 crore and began in February 2020 and faced delays due to the pandemic. The building was completed in September 2024 and was tested in October 2024.

#. Influence and significance

• Enhanced connectivity: The bridge will improve rail connectivity between Rameswaram and the mainland, thereby promoting tourism and trade in the region.
• Innovation and Heritage: It blends modern engineering with the heritage of the old Panban Bridge, India’s first sea bridge.
• Maritime Transportation: Automatic vertical lifting mechanism ensures effective maritime traffic flow, allowing larger ships to pass through the Palk Strait.

#. Timeline and inauguration

• Expected to open: The bridge will be inaugurated in April 2025 ahead of final approval and formal inauguration.
• Trial Operation and Safety Approval: In October 2024, the trial was successfully conducted with the approval of the railway safety committee for train operations.

The benefits of the new Pamban Bridge

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The new Pamban Bridge offers some benefits over its predecessors, enhancing connectivity, security and efficiency between mainland India and the island of Rameswaram. Here are some key advantages:

1. Enhanced connectivity and speed

• Higher train speeds: The new bridge allows trains to speed up to 75 km/h in most parts, and run 50 km/h in the lifting department, which greatly improves travel time compared to the 10 km/h limit of the old bridge to lifts.
• Dual Rail and Electrification: Designed for dual Rail and Electrification, the bridge supports faster and more efficient rail operations and accommodates growing traffic.

2. Improve security and navigation

• Automatic Vertical Lifting Mechanism: The bridge has an automatic vertical lift span that can be increased in just 5 minutes and 30 seconds, ensuring seamless sea navigation without manual intervention.
• Air gap increases: The new bridge has a 22-meter high air gap, which can better protect environmental wear, thereby reducing the risk of collisions and improving the safety of railways and sea traffic.

3. Economic and tourism benefits

• Promoting Tourism and Economy: The bridge is expected to enhance tourism and economic activities in Rameswaram by improving connectivity, benefiting pilgrims visiting the Ramanathaswamy temple and attracting tourists from all over the world.
• Effective maritime transportation: The bridge is designed to allow larger vessels to pass more efficiently, which can reduce costs and save time on transport ships.

4. Technology progress

• Modern Engineering: The bridge uses cutting-edge technology, including the lifting mechanism of AI, making it a modern engineering miracle and proves India’s technological capabilities.
• Future Ready Infrastructure: The bridge is designed to adapt to future growth in rail transport, ensuring it will be an important link between the mainland and Ramsvalan in the coming years.

What is the difference between new and old bridges?

Here are the key differences between new and new Pamban bridges:

1. Design and lift mechanism

• Old Bridge: Old Pamban Bridge built in 1914 with a manual Scherzer-style lift span. The design requires manual operation by workers using levers to open the bridge horizontally for ship access.
• New Bridge: The new Pamban Bridge has a fully automated vertical lift span that lifts the boat to pass underneath. The mechanism is faster and more efficient, and can be completed in just 5 minutes and 30 seconds.

2. Air removal and navigation

• Old Bridge: The air gap of the old bridge is above 19 meters above sea level and has a manual operation double-layer basket section.
• New Bridge: New Bridge provides high air gap of 22 meters, enhancing safety and reducing the risk of collisions.

3. Orbital and electrification

• Old Bridge: The old bridge has a track that is not electrified, thus limiting its capacity and speed.
• New Bridge: New bridge supports dual tracks, designed for future electrification, which can increase speed and increase capacity.

4. Lifespan and durability

• Old Bridge: Built with a powerful cantilever design and painted with special silver paint, the old bridge lasted for 108 years despite the harsh ocean conditions.
• Xinqiao: Xinqiao uses polysiloxane coatings for corrosion protection and is estimated to last for 38 years without maintenance and can accommodate up to 58 years.

5. Speed ​​and efficiency

• Old Bridge: The old bridge is limited by speed due to its design and manual operation, and the speed of the train within the lift range is very low.
• New Bridge: New Bridge supports higher train speeds, improves efficiency and reduces travel time.

How does the new Pamban bridge improve speed, safety and connectivity?

#watch | Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu: The new Pamban Railway Bridge connecting Rameswaram Island with the mainland has been completed. India’s first vertical lift sea bridge is expected to operate by April, restoring railway connectivity and improving… pic.twitter.com/eczs4gxxva

– ani (@ani) March 23, 2025

The new Pamban Bridge replaced the structure of the century-old British era commissioned in 1914.

Unlike previous bridges that rely on manual operation of horizontal open systems, the new bridge adopts cutting-edge vertical lifting technology to ensure seamless access to trains and boats.

#1. Increases speed and connectivity

The 2.10km long new Pamban Bridge is the first vertical lift sea bridge in India and Asia, aiming for faster and more efficient train movement.

Unlike the old bridge (trains can only travel at 10 km/h), the new structure allows fast trains to operate at speeds up to 75 km/h.

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Once in operation, the bridge will support 17 daily train services, including passenger and express trains, enhancing connectivity between Ramswaram and the mainland.

#2. Advanced vertical lifting system with electromagnetic technology

An excellent feature of the new Pamban Bridge is its 72.5-meter long navigation span, which can be lifted vertically to allow the ship to pass under it.

The electromagnetic lift system replaces previous manual operations, making the process faster and more efficient. The entire lift operation takes 5 minutes and 30 seconds, increasing the span to 17 meters.

The elevator span weighs 660 tons and is supported by four powerful towers and weighs 1,450 tons, ensuring stability and reliability.

#3. Durability and safety in coastal conditions

The bridge is built to withstand severe coastal environments and has 336 stainless steel piles that are corrosion-resistant.

The Railway Design and Standards Organization (RDSO) has required the construction of stainless steel on the seaside buildings to increase lifespan.

The bridge is also designed to withstand wind speeds up to 58 km/h. If the wind speed exceeds this limit, the automatic safety mechanism stops the train from moving until the conditions are stable.

#4. Overcome the challenges of architecture

Construction of the new Pamban Bridge began in February 2019 and faces multiple challenges, including strong coastal winds due to the 19th pandemic, severe weather conditions and delays.

Special high-precision welding technology is adopted and trained and certified by the Tamil Nadu Welding Research Institute.

Source: https://dinhtienhoang.edu.vn
Category: Optical Illusion