The bridge's story traces back to 1914, when British engineers constructed the original Pamban bridge.
Digital Desk: This Ram Navami, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate India's first vertical lift sea bridge, known as the New Pamban Bridge, located in Ramanathapuram, Tamil Nadu.
The Ministry of Railways said in a statement that the 2.07-kilometre-long New Pamban Bridge demonstrates India's superior engineering skills and advanced infrastructure planning while crossing the Palk Strait in Tamil Nadu.
The vertical lift section of the bridge extends to 72.5 meters across two tracks. Eighty-eight 18.3-metre steel plate girders form the approach structure through 88 fabricated spans.
British engineers constructed the original Pamban bridge in 1914. The bridge engineers used a cantilever (long metal or wood support structure built from walls) together with a Scherzer Rolling Lift span to build a connection from Rameswaram Island to mainland India. However, the new bridge, sanctioned in 2019, elevated its sea connectivity by 3 meters beyond what exists currently.
The bridge connects three essential groups of people, including pilgrims and tourists, and those involved in trading activities.
The marine conditions combined with increased transportation requirements led to a need for a contemporary bridge solution. The Central government authorized a new advanced technical replacement of the structure according to their 2019 statement.
The Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL), under the Ministry of Railways, built the New Pamban Bridge as a Navratna PSU. RVNL took responsibility to design the bridge so it would meet stronger load requirements and excessive speed standards as well as maritime operational parameters. The new bridge brings increased connectivity to India while displaying the national capabilities for building infrastructure with safety features along with durability and innovation standards.
According to the ministry, the bridge has been constructed with stainless steel reinforcing bars together with high-grade protective painting and fully welded connection points. The bridge uses a specific polysiloxane coating for corrosion protection which enables durability under harsh maritime conditions.
By the early 21st century, the old bridge surpassed its capacity to operate according to modern transportation requirements. The government decided to build a new structure because traffic levels increased significantly while demands for speedier safer connections became essential.
This new bridge emerged to solve the existing Pamban bridge challenges and create better economic expansion and improved regional connection opportunities, according to the statement.
The 1914-built bridge has supported trading activities and religious journeys until modern railway requirements made it obsolete for service. A technologically advanced and resilient bridge replacement became indispensable because of the region's active seismic region together with cyclones and salt water corrosion so the ministry declared.
The ministry revealed that building the new Pamban Bridge entailed solving various environmental together with logistical difficulties. Stormy conditions, along with severe winds and unstable weather conditions became major obstacles to completing the construction work on the Palk Strait. Building in this area required extensive planning because it faces frequent cyclones and seismic events.
The new Pamban Bridge is India's first vertical lift sea bridge, retaining common elements with globally renowned bridges which showcase their advanced engineering and distinct architectural features.
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