Context:

Recently, the Prime Minister of India inaugurated India’s first vertical lift railway sea bridge, the Pamban Rail Bridge to link Rameswaram island to Ramanathapuram district of Tamil Nadu. 

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The name of the bridge is based on the Pamban Strait, which separates the Indian mainland from Rameswaram Island in Tamil Nadu.

• It has replaced the British-era bridge of 1914 whose operation was stopped in December 2022.
• This vertical-lift railway sea bridge has an automated electro-mechanical lift system, which raises the bridge, allowing ships to pass safely.
• The British-era Pamban bridge had a ‘Scherzer’ rolling lift technology which helps open the folds of the bridge horizontally. 

The new bridge is built parallel to the old bridge, it is 2.08 km in length and features a 72.5-metre vertical lift span that rises up to a height of 17 metres. 

With an expected life span of 58 years, the bridge is designed to endure harsh coastal conditions. It features stainless steel reinforcements and Polysiloxane Paint. 

Once operational, the trains can travel up to 75 km/h, a significant increase from the old bridge’s previous 10 km/h limit. 

Since the bridge is situated in an area prone to cyclones and high winds, for safety reasons lifting mechanism cannot be operated when the wind velocity reaches 58km/h or higher, a common occurrence between October and February.

For train safety, a three-cup anemometer (an instrument to measure wind speed and wind pressure) has been placed. If the wind speed crosses 58 km/h, it triggers an automatic red signal for trains.

With a clearance of 22m above sea level, far more than the old bridge’s clearance of just 1.5m, it makes it easy for larger vessels to pass underneath.

Significance of the Bridge

• For pilgrims, it offers faster and safer travel to Rameswaram. 
• For locals, it promises better connectivity and economic opportunity. 
• The improved connectivity is expected to stimulate local businesses and boost tourism.
• It symbolises the union of technology and tradition.
• It will help bringing Ram Setu on the Indian Railways map.