Railways confident of new Pamban Bridge’s place among engineering marvels, despite CRS’s harsh report

RAMESHWARAM: The Railways is having its fingers crossed in replacing the old Pamban Bridge, which survived for 108 years in a highly-corrosive environment and unpredictable weather conditions, with what they believe is a superior one than what the British built.

Even though people don’t fail to acknowledge that the old bridge was an engineering marvel, the modern-day vertical forklift bridge, though with a lesser life span of 38 to 58 years, has reserved a place for India in the book of unique bridges across the world, Railway officials say.

A robust surface protection system is used to protect the bridge against corrosion, according to a document shared by the Southern Railway. Explaining the reason for the difference in the life span of the two bridges, a Southern Railway official said, “The British engineers used a special type of silver paint to give a protective coating to the bridge so that it could resist corrosion for ages. It costs a lot.”

“Polysiloxane paint, used in highly corrosion-prone areas worldwide, has been applied to the new bridge to ensure long-lasting durability,” he added. “I think the Britishers might not have estimated the life of the old bridge for over a century but it remained operational for so long. Similarly, I believe that we are estimating the life span on the new bridge to 38 years without maintenance and up to 58 years with minimal maintenance, but it might continue to be in service for over a century or more than that, too,” he added.

However, the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS), Southern Circle, who has given an adverse report regarding the planning and execution of the bridge, has questioned the new bridge’s estimated lifespan.

After the CRS flagged issues such as violation of bridge construction norms, inadequate anti-corrosion methods, and lapses in execution, Railways has highlighted the features of the new bridge, accommodated the inputs and underscored the need for a new one.

“The New Pamban Bridge, India’s first Vertical Lift Railway Sea Bridge in Tamil Nadu, stands as a beacon of progress in Indian infrastructure, blending heritage with innovation,” the Railways said.

It added, “Designed to connect Rameswaram Island to the mainland, this 2.07-kilometre-long vertical lift sea bridge is a marvel of engineering and a significant step toward modernising transportation in the region.” Drawing a global comparison, the Southern Railway claims the new Pamban Bridge joins the ranks of iconic vertical lift bridges worldwide, such as the Tower Bridge of London and the Arthur Kill Vertical Lift Bridge of the US.

“The new Pamban Bridge incorporates modern materials and technologies that surpass its predecessors in efficiency and durability,” the SR said.

Officials said that the old bridge was a cantilever structure with a Scherzer rolling lift span, which was getting outdated.