Pamban Road Bridge (Annai Indira Gandhi Road Bridge),
Rameshwaram, Ramanathapuram
Rameswaram
is an island and is connected to the main land only by the Pamban rail and
road bridges. The far end of Rameswaram Island is Dhanushkodi. So, to go
out of Rameswaram, one has to pass through the Pamban Bridge. It
was India’s longest sea bridge for 96 years till 2008. The train bridge
opens up in the middle when ships pass underneath. Annai Indira Gandhi Road
Bridge is also called as the Pamban Bridge that connects the Rameswaram Island
with the main land.
It is
the longest sea bridge in India and its length is nearly 2.2 kms and stands as
a fine example for Indian Architecture. The bridge was constructed with
sufficient elevation. This bridge with a clearance of 45 metres is being
supported by 79 pillars out of which 64 pillars are erected in the sea. The
islands nearby and the parallel rail bridge below this bridge can be viewed
from this bridge.
The
Pamban Road Bridge connects the National Highway (NH 49) with the Rameswaram Island.
It stands on the Palk Strait and between the shores of Mandapam (Place on
the Indian Main land) and Pamban (One of the fishermen town in
Rameswaram Island). And it stands parallel to the Pamban
Rail Bridge.
History
After
the cyclone of 1964, a plan for a Road bridge parallel to the
Existed Railway Bridge was proposed by the Tamilnadu Government, but
it was cancelled by Indian Railway Ministry. The construction works of Pamban
Road Bridge was commenced on 17.11.1974 by the Indian Highway department (By
that time they estimate the cost for built this bridge as 537.57 Lakhs) and
contracted to M/S Neelakandan Brothers Engg, Madras.
After
the 1978 cyclone the work was carried out slowly, after few years the
construction work contract was given to the New Gammon India Ltd.,
(The Government sanctioned 16.6514 crore INR by 1986). The work was
completed on 1988, (It takes merely 14 years to complete this Engineering Marvel).
This Road Bridge was named as Annai Indira Gandhi Road Bridge and
inaugurated by former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi On the date
of October 2, 1988.
Renovation
Works
The Anti-corrosive
coating painting works were done in 1992 and 2002. It is proposed that the
anti-corrosive coatings should be given once in every five years because
of its location (Located in second most corrosive environment after Miami,
US). On January 2013, The Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways had
sanctioned the renovation project for Rs. 18.57 crores. The Bridge was
renovated and given an anti-corrosive coating, Sources said the piers, were painted
with coal tar epoxy, and the non-splash zone
with epoxy primer. The 592 old bearings were replaced and the electrical
cables and the lamp posts were repaired.
Architecture
The arch
shaped architecture of the bridge, and its height from the sea level let
the ships and boats pass beneath its piers (Pillars) without any disturbance
(The Pamban cantilever rail bridge has gate like passage arrangement named
“Scherzer Roll” in the middle of it).
The
massive dimensions, facts and figures of the Pamban Road Bridge are given below
|
Name of the Bridge
|
Annai Indira Gandhi Bridge
|
|
Commonly referred Names
|
Indhra Gandhi Bridge, Pamban Bridge, Pamban Road
Bridge
|
|
Opened on
|
1988, 2nd October
|
|
The structural Design
|
Arch Bridge
|
|
The Length of the Pamban Road Bridge
|
2.345 KM
|
|
The Total Number Of Pillars (Piers) holding the Bridge
|
79 Pillars
|
|
The Length of the Pamban Road Bridge
|
2.345 KM
|
|
The Total Number Of Pillars (Piers) holding the Bridge
|
79 Pillars
|
|
Number of Pillars (Piers) Stands inside the Sea
|
64 pillars
|
|
The Maximum Height of the Bridge from the sea level
|
17.68 M
|
|
The Number of Electrical Lamp posts on the bridge
|
174 Lamp Poles
|
|
Connecting Places
|
Mandapam and Pamban
|
|
Lane
|
two lane
|
|
Region
|
Over the Palk strait
|
|
Location
|
2824167° N 79.1889222° E
|