India's First Vertical Lift-Off Pamban Bridge Opens in 5 Minutes; Know All About It

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Pamban Sea Bridge on Sunday, establishing a rail link between Rameswaram Island and the mainland, and also flagged off the new Rameswaram-Tambaram (Chennai) train service in Tamil Nadu’s Rameswaram.

Pambam Bridge is India's first vertical lift-off bridge, located in Ramanathapuram.

This bridge is 2.07 kilometres long, stretching across the Palk Strait in Tamil Nadu, and is a remarkable example of India's engineering excellence and forward-thinking infrastructure development.

The bridge features a vertical lifting mechanism that can be activated with the press of a button. In just five minutes, it lifts up to 22 meters, allowing large ships to pass underneath while trains continue to cross above.

The new bridge, made of stainless steel, is coated with polysiloxane, which will protect it from rust and the corrosive effects of seawater. This is the only bridge providing rail connectivity between Rameswaram and Mandapam. 

The old bridge had a manual shear lift system, while the new bridge operated with a fully automated vertical lift system. The old bridge used to open up to a height of 19 meters, while the new bridge goes up to 22 meters. The new bridge is designed for high-speed trains. While trains on the old bridge could run at a speed of 10 km/h, trains on the new bridge will travel at speeds of 75 to 80 km/h.

This bridge built by Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL), features vertical lift technology. With the completion of this bridge, reaching Rameswaram will become easier. Pilgrims visiting the world-renowned Ramanathaswamy Temple in Rameswaram will now have a shorter travel time. (Image: ANI)