Pamban Bridge, India’s first vertical-lift sea bridge, is open now: Key facts on Indian engineering marvel

The bridge links Rameswaram, one of the Char Dham pilgrimage sites, to the mainland.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Sunday, inaugurated India's first vertical lift sea bridge, the ‘Pamban Bridge’, in Rameswaram of Tamil Nadu.

Being termed as the “most significant bridges in the history of the Indian Railways”, the Rs 550-crore Pamban Bridge also stands as a testament to Indian engineering excellence, carrying a deep cultural significance. Spanning the Palk Strait, the 2.07 kilometre bridge will facilitate smoother connectivity and is set to be unveiled on the occasion of Ram Navami.

On the eve of the inauguration of India's first vertical lift sea bridge, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the Pamban Bridge is one of the marvels for “Tamil history, culture, Tamil language, and ancient Tamil civilisation.”

He said, “The Pamban Bridge is one of the most significant bridges in the history of the railways….it is one of the greatest architectural marvels for Tamil history, culture, ancient Tamil civilization, and the Tamil language. It will be inaugurated tomorrow by Prime Minister Modi.”

• The Pamban Bridge is 2.08 km in length. It features 99 spans and a 72.5-metre vertical lift span that rises up to a height of 17 metres which helps in facilitating the smooth movement of larger ships through the bridge.

• The Pamban Bridge was decommissioned in December 2022.

• The bridge links Rameswaram, one of the Char Dham pilgrimage sites, to the mainland. And there is a Ram Setu connection too. It is said in Ramayana that the construction of Ram Setu started from Rameswaram.

• The new bridge replaces the old structure, built in 1914, which was damaged by corrosion. The new bridge special has a polysiloxane coating which protects it from damage.

• Ashwini Vaishnaw said the Pamban Bridge will be the first vertical lift bridge built in seawater.

• The new bridge has been built at an estimated cost of Rs 550 crore.

• The bridge links Rameswaram, one of the Char Dham pilgrimage sites, to the mainland. And there is a Ram Setu connection too. It is said in Ramayana that the construction of Ram Setu started from Rameswaram.

• The first vertical-lift sea bridge is constructed with stainless steel reinforcement, high-grade protective paint, and fully welded joints.
• It boasts increased durability and reduced maintenance needs.

• In February 2019, the Ministry of Railways sanctioned the construction of a new bridge to replace the ageing structure.
• Built by Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL), the new Pamban Bridge can handle faster trains and increased traffic, Ashwini Vaishnaw said.