From 2025 to 2125: Rameshwaram’s new Pamban Bridge safe for train ops for 100 years, RVNL shares key details

The new Pamban Bridge in Tamil Nadu’s Rameshwaram, which will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 6 April, has been declared safe to run trains at 80 kmph for the next 100 years. This assurance comes from MP Singh, director (operations) at Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL), the public sector company behind the project.

Singh, who is also part of a five-member Expert Committee formed last November to look into safety concerns, said that the panel carefully examined every part of this iconic structure.

Declared Safe After Detailed Review

“The committee has concluded that the bridge is structurally safe to operate trains at 80 kmph for 100 years,” Singh said.

Earlier in January, a document shared by Southern Railway stated that the bridge’s "robust surface protection system against corrosion can extend the bridge's lifespan to 38 years without maintenance and up to 58 years with minimal maintenance".

RVNL was responsible for planning, designing, building and commissioning this new bridge.

Why the Speed Is Limited to 80 kmph

Though the bridge is strong enough to allow trains to run at 160 kmph, the alignment towards the Rameshwaram side has a curve. Because of this, the speed has been limited to 80 kmph for safety.

Singh added that the bridge was thoroughly inspected after the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) raised concerns about its design and fatigue levels.

Panel Formed to Address Safety Concerns

In November 2024, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw created a high-level committee. It included principal executive directors from the Railway Board (Bridges), Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO), Southern Railway’s chief bridge engineer, RVNL’s director, and an external expert from IIT-Roorkee.

The panel was asked to review the issues flagged by the CRS, which included alignment faults, poor anti-corrosion steps, signalling flaws, and more. Because of these concerns, the train speed was temporarily restricted to 50 kmph.

“The committee deliberated on the adequacy of the design of the bridge and all other points of concern and found that they as per relevant provisions,” Singh said. He added that the bridge can handle an annual traffic of 50 GMT (Gross Million Tonnes) and has a design life of 100 years.

Built with Strict Standards and Expert Input

Singh said that the bridge’s vertical lift span, the iconic section that goes up to 17 metres for ships to pass, has been designed to follow both Indian and European codes. It has been fully assessed for fatigue.

He also said that both IIT Bombay and IIT Madras reviewed and approved the bridge’s designs.

“The panel even looked at welding of joints and found that it was done by competent welders. Further, Independent weld checking has been done by Welding Research Institute, Trichy controlled by BHEL,” he said.

Global Research and Construction Journey

Singh added that between 2017 and 2019, RVNL experts visited the UK, the USA, and a few other European nations to study how moveable bridges are built and maintained. After that, they finalised a design and began construction in December 2019.

The previous Pamban bridge, built by the British in 1914, served trains until 23 December 2022. It lasted more than 108 years, surviving a harsh, corrosive environment and unpredictable weather.

A Modern Marvel of Indian Engineering

According to Indian Railways, the new bridge is a proud example of Indian engineering at a global level.

"It is built at a cost of over Rs 550 crore. It is 2.08 km in length, features 99 spans and a 72.5-metre vertical lift span that rises up to a height of 17 metres, facilitating smooth movement of larger ships while ensuring seamless train operations," the ministry said.

Inputs from PTI