Pamban Bridge

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Pamban Bridge

The Pamban Bridge on the Palk Strait connects Rameswaram to mainland India. It refers to both the road bridge and the cantilever railway bridge, though primarily it means the latter. It is the longest sea bridge in India at a length of about 2.3 km.

From the elevated two-lane road bridge, adjoining islands and the parallel rail bridge below can be viewed.

The railway bridge is 6,776 ft (2,065 m)^[1] and was opened for traffic in 1914. The railroad bridge is a still-functioning double-leaf Bascule Bridge section that can be raised to let ships pass under the bridge.

The railway bridge historically carried meter-gauge trains on it, but Indian Railways upgraded the bridge to carry broad-gauge trains in a project that finished Aug. 12, 2007.

Rail Bridge from India Mainland to Rameshwaram

[edit] Location

The bridge spans a 2 km-strait between mainland India and Rameshwaram island and is the only surface transport link between the two.

The straight, part of the larger Adam's Bridge (also known as Rama's Bridge), is famous for the bridge and scenic beauty. The channel was not damaged in the 2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake and tsunami.

The bridge constructed by the British over a hundred years ago and still in good condition is one of the marvels of engineering. Until recent times, the bridge formed Pamban island's only link with the Indian mainland.Above all, thousands of Hindu pilgrims on pilgrimage to the holy Hindu shrine of Rameswaram traverse it everyday.