2014-12-09

The Pamban Bridge, Rameswaram

The Pamban Bridge is a cantilever bridge on the Palk Strait which connects the town of Rameswaram on Pamban Island to mainland India. The bridge refers to both the road bridge and the cantilever railway bridge, though primarily it means the latter. Opened in 1914, it was India's first sea bridge, and was the longest sea bridge in India till 2010. The rail bridge is for the most part, a conventional bridge resting on concrete piers, but has a double leaf bascule section midway, which can be raised to let ships and barges pass through. On 24 February 2014, the Pamban Bridge marked its 100th anniversary.

Pambam bridge train on sea boat mail.
Pamban bridge train on sea boat mail.
Image credit Harris Kiran

The railway bridge is 6,776 ft (2,065 m) long and was opened for traffic in 1914. The bridge has a still-functioning double-leaf bascule section that can be raised to let ships pass. The railway bridge historically carried meter-gauge trains, but Indian Railways upgraded the bridge to carry broad-gauge trains in a project that finished Aug. 12, 2007. Until recently, the two leaves of the bridge were opened manually using levers by workers. About 10 ships — cargo carriers, coast guard ships, fishing vessels and oil tankers — pass through the bridge every month. From the elevated two-lane road bridge, adjoining islands and the parallel rail bridge below can be viewed. After completion of the bridge, meter-gauge lines were laid from Mandapam up to Pamban station. From here the railway line bifurcated, one line towards Rameshwaram about 6.25 miles (10.06 km) up and another branch line of 15 miles (24 km) terminating at Dhanushkodi. The section was opened to traffic in 1914. [source]

Madurai passenger entering Pamban bridge @Rameswaram.
Madurai passenger entering Pamban bridge @Rameswaram. Image credit Abhilash

This Pamban Bridge, constructed by the Indians over a hundred years ago and still in good condition, is a marvel of engineering. Until recently, the bridge formed Pamban island's only link with the Indian mainland. Thousands of Hindu pilgrims on pilgrimage to the holy Hindu shrine of Rameswaram cross the bridge every day. According to Dr Narayanan, the bridge is located at the "world's second highly corrosive environment", next to Miami, US, making the construction a challenging job. The location is also a cyclone-prone high wind velocity zone. This Bridge consist of 143 piers and the centre span is a Scherzer rolling type lift span. It's 220 ft (67 m) long and each of 100 tonnes. [source]

The Pamban Bridge is a cantilever bridge on the Palk Strait which connects the town of Rameswaram on Pamban Island to mainland India.

The legendary Boat Mail boud to Chennai Egmore treads the Pamban Bridge with utmost caution on a windy summers evening.
The legendary Boat Mail boud to Chennai Egmore treads the Pamban Bridge with utmost caution on a windy summers evening. Image credit Vivek Gopinath

Boat Mail Express on Pamban Bridge.
Boat Mail Express on Pamban Bridge. Image credit Antony Gijo Paiva

Boat Mail Enters the Pamban Bridge.
Boat Mail Enters the Pamban Bridge. Image credit Rahul RS

The Pamban Bridge is a cantilever bridge on the Palk Strait which connects the town of Rameswaram on Pamban Island to mainland India.
Image credit Feng Zhong

The Pamban Bridge is a cantilever bridge on the Palk Strait which connects the town of Rameswaram on Pamban Island to mainland India.
Image credit Ashwin Kumar

The Pamban Bridge is a cantilever bridge on the Palk Strait which connects the town of Rameswaram on Pamban Island to mainland India.
Image credit James A

The Pamban Bridge is a cantilever bridge on the Palk Strait which connects the town of Rameswaram on Pamban Island to mainland India.
Image credit Anu Sri

The Pamban Bridge is a cantilever bridge on the Palk Strait which connects the town of Rameswaram on Pamban Island to mainland India.
Rameshwaram Pamban Bridge, Pamban, Tamil Nadu 623519, India. Image credit Rajendra Kumar

Source — Wikipedia

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