Rameswaram’s supercentenarian Pamban railway bridge: Old and new
Located a stone’s throw away from Sri Lanka, it was adjudged as India’s second longest sea bridge after the 2.3-km Bandra-Worli sea link on Mumbai’s western coast
Now a supercentenarian, the engineering marvel continues to evoke awe! Very few can forget a train journey on the old Pamban cantilever rail bridge connecting the temple island Rameswaram, often described as the southern Kasi, to the mainland.
With 143 piers spanning 2km between the mainland and the island, located a stone’s throw away from Sri Lanka, it was adjudged as India’s second longest sea bridge after the 2.3-km Bandra-Worli sea link on Mumbai’s western coast.
The British-built bridge, a testament to human resilience, was crucial for Hindu pilgrims from all over India who preferred the Southern Kasi, as well as Tamil refugees from Sri Lanka who sought asylum in India following bloody civil wars that lasted for more than 30 years.
AP Lipton, originally from Rameswaram, retired principal scientist, and head of the marine biotechnology division at the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute confirmed that the bridge had survived the vertical tectonic movement of land parallel to the coastline in 1948 and a devastating massive cyclone in 1964 and continued to serve its purpose.
Former President of India, APJ Abdul Kalam, born in Rameswaram, used the morning trains to collect newspaper bundles from the mainland and distribute them among readers on the island to earn a living. The rail link played a crucial role in shaping his destiny, recalled Kalam’s close relative, APJ MK Sheikh Saleem.
The trains originated on the island, took him to different educational institutions, and provided him with solid foundations for becoming the country’s top missile man. In those days, there was no road bridge between Rameswaram and the mainland, added Saleem.
On the upcoming Gandhi Jayanti Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate a newly constructed sea bridge connecting Mandapam on the mainland to Rameswaram.
“This bridge has replaced the 110-year-old structure, which had become unsafe for travel due to large-scale corrosion,” said Sharad Srivastava, divisional manager, Southern Railway, Madurai. He said the event will also signify the resumption of train services to Rameswaram after a 22-month hiatus.
According to Srivastava, the new sea bridge, a testament to India’s engineering prowess, is the country’s first vertical lift railway sea bridge designed to accommodate high-speed trains.
The Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL), the engineering division of Indian Railways, invested ₹535 crore to construct this marvel. This bridge, with its 100 spans, each 18.3 metres long, and a single 63-metre navigational span, is a significant upgrade from the old structure.
According to a press release issued by Southern Railway, the new bridge is not just a modern marvel but also a safe and reliable one. It comprises 100 spans, each 18.3 meters long, with a single 63-meter navigational span.
This navigational span, three meters higher than the manually operated double-leaf bascule section of the old bridge, allows ships and barges to pass through. The new bridge provides 22 meters of air clearance above sea level, compared to the 19 meters offered by the old structure, reducing the risk of collisions and structural damage.
The new Pamban Bridge’s successful trial run after completing the lift span mechanism is a testament to its functionality and safety.
Old Pamban bridge
The old Pamban Rail Bridge, a historical landmark that connects Rameswaram to mainland India, was built in 1914.
It was the sole connection between Mandapam and Rameswaram until a parallel road bridge was built in 1988. Train services on the old bridge were suspended in December 2022 due to severe corrosion that damaged its double-leaf section.
As a result, trains now operate only up to Mandapam. With its rich history and significant role in shaping the region’s connectivity, the bridge continues symbolising the area’s past.
Excessive vibrations were detected in the old bridge during train movement in 2022 after a team of experts from IIT Madras fitted the monitoring equipment. As a result, it was deemed unfit for further train operations.
The railways plan to preserve the old bridge as a tourist attraction for visitors to Rameswaram and the neighbouring coastal town of Dhanushkodi.
The bridge, which opened on February 25, 1914, was constructed to allow ships to pass under it. Old-timers remember that it was challenging to build due to its location in a highly corrosive environment. It withstood the 1964 cyclonic storm, which devastated several areas of the region, including Pampan and Dhanushkodi, killing many.
After the cyclone, railway engineers renovated the bridge and resume its service within 45 days.
”In the late 1870s, the East India Company planned to establish a rail link between Dhanushkodi and Colombo to expand trade. Rail connectivity between the mainland and Pamban Island was necessary to achieve this. There were also plans to extend the railways over the Adam’s Bridge to Ceylon, connecting the Ceylon and Indian Railways to establish a direct and unbroken link between the port of Colombo and India. A project proposal was presented to the British parliament for constructing a rail bridge from Mandapam to Pamban and Dhanushkodi to Thalaimannar for ₹299 lakh following a feasibility study. The proposal was rejected due to cost concerns, but ₹70 lakh were granted for building the Pamban Rail Bridge,’’ Delphine Prema Dhanaseeli, who researched on the history of Rameswaram and its surroundings, said.
The fabricated structures were transported from Britain, and the work progressed smoothly to the Mandapam side. The total cost of the bridge, including buying three vessels, was estimated to be ₹70 lakh.
The construction utilised 2,000 tons of steel, and about 200 men were employed. The Gujarat-based contractor Karoji Kutz took on the project.
During construction, many materials were lost due to a severe cyclone and waves, and many labourers perished from cholera.
The Pamban Bridge is located in a cyclone-prone area with high wind velocities. During the centenary celebrations 2014, Kalam reminisced about his student days when he frequently crossed the bridge on trains. He expressed his fondness for Pamban, particularly the bridge and train journeys he took while travelling for his studies and when returning home. He described the bridge as an engineering marvel. Despite Kalam’s request for a centenary train between Pamban and Chennai and the modernisation of Pamban railway station, these initiatives were still pending.