"Pamban Bridge Faces 'Curve' Test: India's First Vertical Lift Bridge Over Sea in Rameswaram"

The construction of the Pamban railway bridge, India's pioneering vertical-lift bridge connecting the mainland with Rameswaram island, encounters an additional obstacle in the form of a sharp curve. This challenge, alongside its mechanical complexity and the turbulent sea conditions, poses significant hurdles for the Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL), responsible for the bridge's construction.

The RVNL faces a daunting task in maneuvering a 72.5-meter-long, 16-meter-wide lift span, weighing 550 tonnes, from the Rameshwaram end to a location 450 meters into the sea for its integration into the bridge structure.

"We initiated the movement of this lift span on March 10, and to date, we have shifted the 550-ton lift span 80 meters towards the center of the bridge. The curved alignment of the bridge, at 2.65 degrees, presents the biggest challenge. Had it been straight, progress would have been faster," stated a senior RVNL official, noting the necessity of the curved shape due to various alignment considerations.

Completion of the movement of the lift span to its final fixing point is projected by the end of May, requiring a further 370 meters of travel. "Once we navigate past the curved portion, we can expedite its movement. We've taken extensive precautions during its sea transport due to its size and weight, necessitating precision at each step," the official elaborated.

RVNL has set a deadline of June 30 to make the bridge operational, with officials expressing determination to meet the target. "Once the lift span is secured, the remaining work will proceed smoothly," assured an RVNL official.

The lift span, designed by Spanish firm TYPSA, is being manufactured at Sattirakkudi Railway Station, 20 kilometers from the coast, due to logistical challenges in transporting such a massive structure.

Trains services between Mandapam and Rameswaram island were halted on December 23, 2022, following the suspension of the existing rail bridge, operational since 1913, for safety reasons.

The new bridge's construction, initiated by RVNL in February 2020 after Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone in November 2019, was initially slated for completion by December 2021 but faced delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Once operational, the 2.08-kilometer-long bridge will enable Indian Railways to operate trains at higher speeds, enhancing connectivity between the mainland and Rameswaram island, historically linked solely by train services until the construction of a road bridge in 1988.

TOI