RAMANATHAPURAM
The more-than-a-century-old Pamban rail bridge, connecting Rameswaram island with the mainland, has entered the final phase of its service as Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) is all set to build a new bridge, parallel to the existing one, after awarding contract in March.
In a brief chat with reporters after inspecting the site and studying the alignment, B. Kamalakara Reddy, Chief Project Manager (Coordination), RVNL, Chennai, said the new bridge would be built at an estimated cost of ₹ 200 crore.
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He said the two-km-long new bridge would be built in two years. It would come up on the northern side 30 metres away from the existing bridge at a three-metre elevation to it, he said.
Mr. Reddy, who inspected the alignment after sailing in Pamban channel in a fishing boat, said the new bridge would have a 70-metre-long vertical single span for vessels to pass through. After construction of the new bridge, the Scherzer’s span in the existing bridge, which opened up like a pair of scissors for vessel movement, would be removed, he said.
The new bridge with vertical lift span would come up on the lines of the video released by Railway Minister Piyush Goyal a few months ago, he said replying to a question. Mr. Goyal had released the video and tweeted: “Ever seen a moving bridge? The Pamban Sea-Bridge that connects Rameswaram with mainland India will soon have vertical lift span technology to allow the cross-navigation of vessels.”
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Officials privy to the project said the first phase of the work would be taken up from the Pamban side up to the Scherzer’s span. A private consulting services company had already commenced soil test at more than 20 locations. As the existing bridge, India’s first cantilever bridge, was located in the world’s second most corrosive environment after Florida, the RVNL would go for pre-stressed concrete (PSC) spans for the new bridge, they said.