PM Modi Inaugurates India's First Vertical Lift Railway Sea Bridge, Stalin Skips Event

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- MPOST BUREAU

RAMESWARAM: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the country's first vertical lift railway sea bridge in Rameswaram on Sunday, marking a significant moment in India's infrastructure journey. The Pamban Bridge, which connects the Rameswaram island to the mainland, has been described by the government as a major engineering achievement.

"This bridge connects a town that is thousands of years old with a 21st-century marvel," Modi said during the event. He noted that the new structure symbolises the union of tradition and technology.

The bridge, built at a cost of over Rs 700 crore, spans 2.08 kilometers and features a 72.5-meter vertical lift section that rises to a height of 17 meters to allow ships to pass through. The structure comprises 99 spans and has been constructed with corrosion-resistant materials, including stainless steel reinforcement and high-grade protective paint. According to the government, it is designed with dual rail tracks to meet future needs.

Apart from inaugurating the bridge and flagging off a train service on the new route, Modi also laid the foundation stone and dedicated various road and rail infrastructure projects worth over Rs 8,300 crore. These include the four-laning of the 28 km Walajapet-Ranipet section of NH-40 and the 29 km Viluppuram-Puducherry section of NH-332.

"These projects will boost connectivity to religious and tourist centers, reduce travel time, and help farmers in transporting their produce more efficiently," Modi said.