New Delhi: A sharp turn in the upcoming Pamban Railway Bridge, India's first vertical-lift bridge connecting the country's mainland to Rameshwaram Island, has become an additional challenge for the Railways apart from its mechanical peculiarity and rough seas.
Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL), which is constructing this 2.08 km long bridge, is facing a major challenge in shifting the lift span, which is 72.5 meters long and 16 meters wide and weighs 550 kg. Tons. The end of Rameshwaram is 450 meters into the sea and make it right up to the bridge.
“We started moving this lift span on March 10 and to date, we have moved the 550-tonne lift span 80 meters towards the center of the bridge. The biggest challenge is the 2.65 degree curved alignment of the bridge.Had it been straight, "W would have made it go faster," said a senior RVNL official, adding that the curved shape was necessary due to various alignment changes.
The work of taking the lift span to its final fixation point will be completed by the end of May, as it still has to be moved another 370 metres.
"Once we cross the curved part, we can accelerate its speed. We have taken great care while taking it into the sea because its size and weight require great precision at every step," the official said. Is required."
RVNL has set June 30 as the deadline to commission the bridge and officials say they are trying their level best to complete it.“Once the scope of the lift is decided, the rest of the work is not a big deal,” said an RVN official.
He said, "This lift span can be automatically raised by 17 meters during the passage of ships. It will take 5 minutes to go up and the same time to come down and it will be set in such a way that Train services should continue. Will not be interrupted."
RVNL had this lift span designed by Spanish firm TYPSA and constructed at Satthirakkudi railway station, which is 20 km from the sea coast.“We brought it in different parts and assembled it here on the shore as it was not possible to transport such a huge structure from the manufacturing site,” the RVNL official said.
Train services between Mandapam and Rameshwaram island in the mainland were suspended on December 23, 2022, after the existing rail bridge, which was built in 1913, was declared non-operational from safety viewpoint.
A Southern Railway official said, "When the Pamban bridge was operational, trains would run towards the bridge and reach Rameshwaram. They would run slowly over the Pamban bridge and reach Tirthanagari in about 15 minutes."
Presently, all trains terminate at Mandapam and people use road to reach Rameshwaram.Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of the new bridge parallel to the old bridge in November 2019 and work was started by RVNL in February 2020.
It was to be completed by December 2021, however, the deadline was extended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to Southern Railway, the 2.08 km long bridge will allow Indian Railways to operate trains at higher speeds and will also increase traffic between mainland India and Rameshwaram Island.
Until a road bridge was constructed in 1988, the only line connecting Mandapam to Rameshwaram Island in the Gulf of Mannar was train services.
According to Southern Railway, the substructure of the bridge is designed for double lines and the navigational span will also have provision for double lines.
Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL), which is constructing this 2.08 km long bridge, is facing a major challenge in shifting the lift span, which is 72.5 meters long and 16 meters wide and weighs 550 kg. Tons. The end of Rameshwaram is 450 meters into the sea and make it right up to the bridge.
“We started moving this lift span on March 10 and to date, we have moved the 550-tonne lift span 80 meters towards the center of the bridge. The biggest challenge is the 2.65 degree curved alignment of the bridge.Had it been straight, "W would have made it go faster," said a senior RVNL official, adding that the curved shape was necessary due to various alignment changes.
The work of taking the lift span to its final fixation point will be completed by the end of May, as it still has to be moved another 370 metres.
"Once we cross the curved part, we can accelerate its speed. We have taken great care while taking it into the sea because its size and weight require great precision at every step," the official said. Is required."
RVNL has set June 30 as the deadline to commission the bridge and officials say they are trying their level best to complete it.“Once the scope of the lift is decided, the rest of the work is not a big deal,” said an RVN official.
He said, "This lift span can be automatically raised by 17 meters during the passage of ships. It will take 5 minutes to go up and the same time to come down and it will be set in such a way that Train services should continue. Will not be interrupted."
RVNL had this lift span designed by Spanish firm TYPSA and constructed at Satthirakkudi railway station, which is 20 km from the sea coast.“We brought it in different parts and assembled it here on the shore as it was not possible to transport such a huge structure from the manufacturing site,” the RVNL official said.
Train services between Mandapam and Rameshwaram island in the mainland were suspended on December 23, 2022, after the existing rail bridge, which was built in 1913, was declared non-operational from safety viewpoint.
A Southern Railway official said, "When the Pamban bridge was operational, trains would run towards the bridge and reach Rameshwaram. They would run slowly over the Pamban bridge and reach Tirthanagari in about 15 minutes."
Presently, all trains terminate at Mandapam and people use road to reach Rameshwaram.Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of the new bridge parallel to the old bridge in November 2019 and work was started by RVNL in February 2020.
It was to be completed by December 2021, however, the deadline was extended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to Southern Railway, the 2.08 km long bridge will allow Indian Railways to operate trains at higher speeds and will also increase traffic between mainland India and Rameshwaram Island.
Until a road bridge was constructed in 1988, the only line connecting Mandapam to Rameshwaram Island in the Gulf of Mannar was train services.
According to Southern Railway, the substructure of the bridge is designed for double lines and the navigational span will also have provision for double lines.
