On the Ram Navami occasion, Prime Minister Narendra Modi opened the New Pamban Bridge in Tamil Nadu, India’s first vertical-lift sea bridge. The opening was a major milestone in India’s infrastructure journey, with the bridge being praised for its innovative design and efficiency.
Stretching 2.07 km across the Palk Strait, the bridge links Rameswaram Island with Mandapam on the mainland. Constructed by Rail Vikas Nigam Limited for more than Rs 700 crore, it has a 72.5-metre span which can be vertically lifted to 17 metres to allow ships to sail underneath. The bridge, which has been cleared for a speed of up to 80 kmph, is now single-tracked but designed to take dual tracks and higher loads.
PM Modi also inaugurated a Coast Guard ship and the Rameswaram-Tambaram train, and laid the foundation stone for infrastructure projects valued at more than Rs 8,300 crore. He performed a puja at the Ramanathaswamy temple during the visit.
Designed to last, the bridge has a 100-year design life and uses cutting-edge corrosion-resistant materials appropriate for the marine environment. Its groundbreaking design has been compared to legendary bridges such as the Golden Gate in the US and Tower Bridge in the UK.
Moreover, PM Modi posted a bird’s-eye view of the Ram Setu during his return from Sri Lanka. Terming it a divine experience occurring at the same time as Ayodhya’s Surya Tilak program, he eulogized Lord Ram as a unifying factor. Ram Setu or Adam’s Bridge is a series of shoals connecting India and Sri Lanka for 48 km.
