INFRASTRUCTURE
PM Modi inaugurates new Pamban Bridge, launches projects worth Rs 8,300 crore
- IBJ Bureau
- Apr 07, 2025
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday inaugurated the New Pamban Bridge – the country’s first vertical-lift sea bridge – in Tamil Nadu on the occasion of Ram Navami.
Mr Modi also flagged off a Coast Guard ship – which passed under the bridge – and the new Rameswaram-Tambaram (Chennai) train and laid the foundation stone of various rail and road projects worth over Rs 8,300 crore in the State.
According to the Ministry of Railways, the 2.07-km-long bridge, spanning the Palk Strait in Tamil Nadu, stands as a testament to India’s engineering prowess and visionary infrastructure development.
Located in the Ramanathapuram district, the bridge connects Rameswaram island with Mandapam on the mainland. Built at a cost of over Rs 700 crore by Rail Vikas Nigam (RVNL) – a Navratna PSU under the Ministry of Railways – the bridge features a 72.5-metre navigational span that can be vertically lifted to 17 metres, allowing ships to pass below safely.
The bridge can also support two railway tracks, though it currently operates on a single line. It is cleared for train speeds up to 80 kmph and is built to handle increased rail traffic and heavier loads.
According to a government release, the new bridge has a projected lifespan of 100 years.
The old Pamban Bridge was built in 1914 by British engineers. It used a manually operated Scherzer’s span (a type of rolling-lift bridge). The pass-over was shut to rail traffic due to safety concerns.
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