News: Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated the New Pamban Bridge on the auspicious occasion of Ram Navami. New Pamban Bridge.
About New Pamban Bridge
- It is the country’s first vertical-lift sea bridge.
- Location: It is over 2 km long and spans across the Palk Strait in Tamil Nadu.
- Connecting: It connects Rameswaram Island with Mandapam on the mainland Tamil Nadu.
- Constructed by: It is constructed by Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL), a Navratna PSU under the Ministry of Railways.
- Features:
- The 5-meter navigational span can be lifted up to 17 meters, allowing larger ships to pass underneath.
- The new bridge is 3 meters higher than the existing one, improving sea connectivity.
- The substructure can support two railway tracks, though it currently operates a single
About Old Pamban Bridge
- A historic railway bridge linking Rameswaram Island to Mandapam (mainland Tamil Nadu).
- It was built in 1914.
- It was India’s first sea bridge, built for trade.
- It remained India’s longest sea link until the Bandra-Worli sea link opened in 2010.
- It was decommissioned in December 2022 due to corrosion.
