British-era Pamban Bridge Opens For The Last Time
Railway officials indicated that this opening of the century-old British-era railway lift bridge could be its last operation
Ramanathapuram: The historic Pamban railway lift bridge over the Pamban sea in Tamil Nadu was reopened on Friday (January 21, 2026), simultaneously along with the newly constructed vertical lift bridge, after nearly three months, allowing the passage of tourist vessels and sailing ships.
The road and railway bridges across the Pamban sea serve as a vital link connecting Rameswaram Island in Ramanathapuram district with the Tamil Nadu mainland. The stretch is a key maritime route, with ships regularly passing through while traveling between northern and southern waters.
Image Source: X /@IndiaHistorypic
Reports state that the construction of the old Pamban bridge was built by a Gujarat-based contractor Karoji Kutz, with 2,000 tonnes of steel and 200 workers who toiled for more than four years to build it, withstanding cyclones and challenging conditions.
The decision to build the bridge was taken by the British during a meeting at Dhanushkodi in November 1908. The bridge was completed in Dec 1913 and was inaugurated on Feb 25, 1914, by Lord John Sinclair, who was the Governor of Madras from 1912 to 1919.
File Pic of Pamban Bridge 2019 ( Image Source DC Library)
It withstood intense weather, including a devastating cyclone in 1964 that destroyed Dhanushkodi, and even tectonic shifts, showcasing its robust construction. In 1988, a parallel two-lane road bridge was built alongside it, serving as the major transport link.
Screengrab of Pamban Bridge Opening |Source: DC YouTube
During the last operation on Wednesday, two sailing vessels, one traveling from Mangaluru to Cuddalore and the other from Cuddalore to Mangaluru passed through the channel. A tourist vessel en route from Kochi to the Andaman Islands and an Indian Navy ship traveling from the southern seas to the northern region also crossed the stretch.