Context: The Prime Minister of India inaugurated the new Pamban railway bridge which connects the Rameswaram island of the Tamil Nadu coast with Ramanathapuram on the mainland.
Relevance of the Topic: Prelims: Location of Pamban rail bridge.
Key Facts about Pamban Railway Bridge
- Connects: Rameswaram or Pamban island on Tamil Nadu coast with Ramanathapuram on the mainland Tamil Nadu.
- Length: 2.08 km
- India’s first vertical lift sea bridge. The bridge features a 72.5-meter vertical lift span that can be raised by 17 meters, allowing for ship movement beneath the bridge.
Old Pamban Bridge
- The 2.05-km long Pamban bridge served as the sole transportation link between mainland Ramanathapuram and Rameswaram Island for over 70 years.
- It was completed in 1914, and featured a Scherzer rolling lift span, allowing ships to pass underneath.
Pamban Island
- Pamban or Rameswaram Island is located between peninsular India and Sri Lanka.
- It is the largest island in Tamil Nadu by area and hosts the pilgrimage centre Rameswaram.
- At the eastern tip of the island lies Dhanushkodi, a harbour and a pilgrimage centre.