Rails above, waves below: Pamban Bridge 2.0 is here; all you need to know

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated landmark infrastructure project on Sunday — the new Pamban Rail Bridge in Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu.
Timed with Ram Navami, the inauguration of the 2.07-kilometre-long bridge marks a significant boost to rail connectivity between mainland India and Rameswaram Island.


Replacing the historic 111-year-old Pamban Bridge, decommissioned in 2022 due to corrosion, the new bridge is India’s first vertical lift railway sea bridge. Built at a cost of over Rs 535 crore by Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL), the bridge is engineered to allow both high-speed train travel and smooth maritime passage.

A 72.5-metre-long navigational span can be raised to a height of 17 metres in under five minutes, ensuring minimal disruption to ship movement.
This advanced lifting mechanism is electro-mechanical and requires just one operator. However, it cannot be used during high wind conditions exceeding 58 kmph.

The bridge has been designed to withstand the region’s harsh marine environment and is equipped with stainless steel reinforcement, composite sleepers, and polysiloxane protective coatings to resist corrosion. With 100 spans and a clearance of 22 metres above sea level — significantly higher than the old bridge's 1.5 metres — it can accommodate larger vessels and heavier railway loads.

It’s also built with the future in mind: though currently operating a single rail line, the substructure is ready to support two. The bridge is also compatible with railway electrification and is built to last 100 years with minimal maintenance.

Railway authorities say the new structure allows trains to cross in under five minutes at speeds up to 75 kmph — a dramatic improvement from the 25-30 minutes needed on the previous bridge, where trains were limited to just 10 kmph.

According to RVNL officials, the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) has approved a top speed of 75 kmph across the main span and 50 kmph on the lift section, even though the bridge itself is engineered for up to 80 kmph.

Train services to Rameswaram, suspended since December 2022 due to safety concerns, will now resume. Pilgrim-heavy routes like the Rameswaram-Tirupati Weekly Express and Rameswaram-Kanyakumari Tri-Weekly Express will be back on track, potentially benefiting over 25 lakh devotees who visit the famous Ramanathaswamy Temple annually.

The bridge has been compared to global engineering icons like the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco and the Tower Bridge in London due to its modern construction techniques and aesthetics.

Unique features include the use of the Auto Launching Method — a complex technique pioneered by Suntech Construction and validated by IIT Madras — for assembling the lift span. Segments were pre-painted and inspected offsite before being transported to Pamban and fitted using advanced cranes and ultrasonic testing.
Connecting Mandapam on the mainland with Pamban Island, this vertical-lift bridge is being celebrated as a technological leap forward — not just in railway engineering, but also in restoring a vital emotional and spiritual link for millions of devotees.