Page 11 - TT mag April 2024 Digital Edition

UPDATE PLUS

The marvellous Pamban bridge

estoration work on
the existing, iconic
Pamban rail bridge and
the construction of a
new one are taking
Rplace simultaneously
in the coastal waters of the Bay
of Bengal, off the state of Tamil
Nadu. The iconic, 108-year-old
Pamban cantilever rail bridge was
commissioned in 1914 bridging
peninsular India and the Gulf
of Mannar, interconnecting
Mandapam in Rameswaram
mainland with Rameswaram Island.
It was the only link connecting the
two locations until a new road Picture Courtesy: RVNL
bridge was built parallel to the sea metres comprising 146 spans of movement of the lift span, besides
link in 1988. Serving more than steel girders, 145 spans of 12.20m its mechanical peculiarity and a
its codal life, the rail bridge was length and one navigational span of rough sea. The 550-ton lift span
getting heavily corroded and was 61.0m length, the new bridge being has been moved only 80 meters
being repaired regularly by Railways constructed will have 99 spans of due to the curved alignment of
in order to carry train traffic safely. 18.3m length and one navigational the bridge, with more challenges
span of 72.5m length. It will be 3.0m ahead in reaching the final fixing
Finally, rail traffic on the bridge point. The lift span has been
was suspended from December higher than the existing bridge with designed by a Spanish firm and
2022 after a red alert was received navigational air clearance of 22.0m assembled near the coast due to
from the sensor-based health above sea level. Because of vertical its massive size, contributing to the
monitoring system installed by lift, full horizontal width of 72.5m complexity of the project.
IIT Madras and Southern Railway will be available for navigation.
officials assessed that the bridge This will be India’s first vertical lift While the new rail bridge is yet
had to be repaired due to heavy Railway sea bridge, once the work to get operational, it allowed
is completed.
corrosion, to be made safe for rail the passage of three ships under
operations. The Research Design The substructure of the new bridge its central part early this year,
and Standards Organisation and navigational span are being built attracting numerous tourists who
(RDSO), the R&D wing of the with the provision for double line enjoyed the spectacular view. The
Ministry of Railways that functions and designed with the Railways’ suspension bridge was opened and
as technical advisor and consultant plan for electrification. In comparison one ship passed travelling from Goa
to the Railway Board and the to existing manual operation and to Visakhapatnam, the second from
Zonal Railway, had been advised control, the new bridge will have Lakshadweep to Cuddalore in Tamil
to inspect and suggest possible electro-mechanical controlled systems Nadu and the third ship from the
repairs required to put the old which will be interlocked with train South to the Indian Coast Guard
bridge back in service. control systems. Station at Mandapam in the North.

The new Pamban bridge is The construction of the new The great Pamban bridge attracts
being executed by Rail Vikas vertical-lift railway bridge has thousands of tourists from all over
Nigam Limited (RVNL) with whom faced a number of engineering the world. It transports scores
the Southern Railway is actively challenges due to the 2.65 degree of pilgrims visiting the famous
engaged. While the existing bridge of curved alignment of the bridge Ramanathaswamy Temple.
structure has a total length of 2058 in its length complicating the (Technical details courtesy: Southern Railways)

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