Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the stainless steel-reinforced New Pamban Bridge on Ram Navami, marking India’s first vertical-lift sea bridge. Vailankanni D’souza explores the details about the new marvel’s design to for a 100-year lifespan and its corrosion-resistant structure that showcases cutting-edge engineering and material innovation.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated India’s first vertical-lift sea bridge, the New Pamban Bridge, on the occasion of Ram Navami, symbolizing a major leap in the nation’s infrastructure capabilities. Located in Tamil Nadu’s Ramanathapuram district, the bridge connects Rameswaram Island with Mandapam on the mainland. The event also saw the flagging off of a Coast Guard ship and the Rameswaram-Tambaram train, further enhancing regional connectivity and economic prospects.
The New Pamban Bridge, spanning 2.08 kilometers across the Palk Strait, has been constructed with state-of-the-art stainless steel reinforcement and fully welded joints, ensuring strength, resilience, and longevity in a harsh marine environment. The bridge’s 72.5-meter vertical lift span, which rises 17 meters to allow ship passage, is a testament to advanced engineering and the critical role stainless steel plays in such challenging conditions. Special high-grade protective paints and a polysiloxane coating further shield the structure from corrosion, highlighting the importance of modern material science in enhancing infrastructure lifespan.
Built by Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) at a cost of over ₹700 crore, the bridge is designed to last at least 100 years with minimal maintenance. Its corrosion-resistant features and robust construction using stainless steel make it a standout project, drawing comparisons to iconic global structures like the Golden Gate Bridge, Tower Bridge, and the Oresund Bridge. The design also accommodates future expansion to two railway tracks, making it future-ready for increasing transportation demands.
The New Pamban Bridge is not just an engineering feat but a celebration of India’s growing expertise in infrastructure, material innovation, and sustainability. With stainless steel at its core, the bridge represents durability, safety, and the country’s vision for modern, resilient development.
