Rameswaram: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday inaugurated India’s first vertical lift sea bridge, the Pamban Railway Bridge, in Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu, coinciding with Ram Navami celebrations. Constructed at a cost of ₹550 crore, the state-of-the-art bridge is designed to improve rail connectivity to the island town.
The bridge features a 72.5-metre-long vertical lift span and incorporates 99 spans over its total length of 2.08 kilometres. Built with a stainless steel coating to withstand marine conditions, the bridge facilitates smooth rail and maritime traffic. While trains operate over the bridge, the central lift span elevates vertically to allow the passage of ships below—marking a significant technological upgrade from the old structure.
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Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu: PM Narendra Modi inaugurates New Pamban Bridge – India’s first vertical lift sea bridge and flags off Rameswaram-Tambaram (Chennai) new train service, on the occasion of #RamNavami2025 pic.twitter.com/6ts8HNdwqy
— ANI (@ANI) April 6, 2025
Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw were also present at the ceremony. The Prime Minister visited the bridge after concluding a three-day official tour of Sri Lanka. In a post shared on his official X account, Modi described the occasion as a “divine coincidence,” highlighting the spiritual significance of witnessing the Ram Setu region while the Surya Tilak ritual was taking place at Ayodhya.
Emphasizing the bridge’s cultural and infrastructural importance, Modi stated that the Pamban Bridge serves as a critical link between Rameswaram and the mainland, and is steeped in mythological and spiritual relevance.