Pamban Bridge 1

Pamban Bridge
Pamban Bridge

Pamban Road and Rail Bridge

Official name Annai Indira Gandhi Bridge

Carries 2 lanes of road traffic

Crosses Palk Strait

Locale Rameshwaram, Tamilnadu, India

Coordinates 91656.70N 791120.1212E

The Pamban Bridge (Tamil: ) is a cantilever bridge on the Palk Strait connects Rameswaram on
Pamban Island to mainland India. It refers to both the road bridge and the cantilever railway bridge, though primarily
it means the latter. It was India's first sea bridge. It is the second longest sea bridge in India (after Bandra-Worli Sea
Link) at a length of about 2.3km.
The railway bridge is 6,776ft (2,065m)[1]
and was opened for traffic in 1914. The
railroad bridge is a still-functioning
double-leaf bascule bridge section that can
be raised to let ships pass under the bridge.
The railway bridge historically carried
metre-gauge trains on it, but Indian
Railways upgraded the bridge to carry
broad-gauge trains in a project that finished
Aug. 12, 2007. Until recently, the two
leaves of the bridge were opened manually
using levers by workers.[1] About 10 ships
cargo carriers, coast guard ships, fishing
Inaugural Plaque
vessels and oil tankers pass through the
bridge every month. From the elevated
two-lane road bridge, adjoining islands and the parallel rail bridge below can be viewed.
Pamban Bridge 2

As per chronicles of Kutch Gurjar Kshatriya

community, mentioned in their books, The
erection and construction of Pamban Bridge
was done by Mistri Manji Daya Wegad with
Lakhu Devji Vegad both of Anjar, Varjang
Hirji of Nagalpar and Gangji Narayan of
Khedoi. Together built the Railway lines
and Pamban Bridge over creek of
Rameshwaram to Pamban construction of
which they started in year 1887 and
completed sometime in 1912 for South
Indian Railway. While working on Pamban
Bridge the Mistris Lakhu Devji Vegad of
Anjar and Gangji Narayan of Khedoi also
built famous Temple of Neel-Mandir having Pamban Bridge
seven domes at Rameshwaram, construction
which, they started in 1899 and completed in about five years by 1905. After completion of bridge metre-gauge lines
were laid by them from Mandapam up to Pamban Station, from here the railway lines bifurcated into two directions
one towards Rameshwaram about 6.25 miles (10.06km) up and another branch line of 15 miles (24km) terminating
at Dhanushkodi. The section was opened to traffic in 1914.[2][3]

The noted boat mail ran on this track between 1915 and 1964 from Madras-Egmore up to Dhanushkodi, from where
the passengers were ferried to Talaimannar in Ceylon. The metre-gauge branch line from Pamban Junction to
Dhanushkodi was abandoned after it was destroyed in a cyclone in 1964.[4]
According to Dr Narayanan, the bridge is located at the "world's second highly corrosive environment", next to
Miami, US, making the construction a challenging job. The location is also a cyclone-prone high wind velocity
zone.[1] This Bridge consist of 143 piers and the centre span is a Schrezers rolling type lift span. It's 220ft (67m)
long and each of 100 tonnes.

Location
The bridge spans a 2km-straight between
mainland and island and is the only surface
transport link between the two. The
mainland end of the bridge is located at
91656.70N 791120.1212E.

Rail Bridge from India Mainland to Rameshwaram

Pamban Bridge 3

Rumours about the Bridge

There are rumours floating around regarding
an incident that supposedly happened on the
bridge. One version is reproduced below.
The Pamban Bridge is situated in Tamil
Nadu, India. At the entrance of the bridge
you can see a picture of a weeping man
holding some human body parts close to his
chest.
This bridge was built during the British rule
in India and it was constructed in such a
way that the center portion of the bridge
could be lifted with the help of huge wheels,
so that ships could easily pass under the This bridge, constructed by the Indians over a hundred years ago and still in good
condition, is a marvel of engineering. Until recently, the bridge formed Pamban
bridge. On the bridge, roads and rail tracks
island's only link with the Indian mainland. Thousands of Hindu pilgrims on
are laid for trains and other vehicles to pilgrimage to the holy Hindu shrine of Rameswaram cross the bridge every day.
pass...
A middle aged man was appointed to roll the wheels up and down when ships arrive. Once he saw a train slowly
approaching, while he was pulling back the bridge after a ship quietly passed beneath. He had to pull back quickly or
else there would be a fatal accident and thousands would have died.
At that time his 9 year old son came with lunch. When he saw his father struggling with the wheels, he kept the
lunch box down and started helping him to roll the wheels to put the bridge back. Suddenly his son's finger got
caught inside the wheel and he started crying out. At this time if the father tries to save his son, the bridge could not
be put back on time. He had no other option but to ignore his son's cry. With all his strength he kept on rolling the
wheels to down the bridge. As the wheels rolled on, his son slowly started slipping away into the huge machine.
Tears rolled down his father's cheeks, but he ignored his son's cry. If he tried to save him, the train will surely fall
into the sea and thousands of people will die. Slowly the boy's whole body fell into the machine and his father could
hear his bones breaking one by one, until with a loud sound, his head cracked.
The train with thousands of passengers slowly rolled on the rails, without knowing what had happened there.
Though this man performed his duty honestly he lost his only loving son. With extreme lamentation, he pulled out
his son's body parts from the machine and held it close to his chest and cried bitterly.
British Government honored him greatly and in memory of this incident they placed the picture at the entrance of the
bridge.[5]
}}
This story is highly scattered all around the internet although at various forum discussions it has been seen that the
above story is just story.[6][7] The bridge requires twelve people, six on each side, to manually operate its moving
sections.[8] Also, there is no such picture at the entrance of the bridge. And neither is this story known to locals as
fact or hearsay from previous generations. The story seems to have been entirely manufactured on the internet and to
feel some pride in being honest towards work. The earliest known version of the story appears as Christian story.
The story attempts to draw a parallel between the father's alleged sacrifice of his son, and the sacrifice of the God in
sending his son Jesus down to Earth.[9] The story itself, created in 2003, was not original, and was based on an
award-winning 2003 Czech film, Most.
Pamban Bridge 4

References
[1] The Hindu Business Line : Pamban Bridge to be pulled down for gauge conversion (http:/ / www. thehindubusinessline. com/ 2003/ 11/ 21/
stories/ 2003112101991700. htm)
[2] Nanji Bapa ni Nondh-pothi published in Gujarati in year 1999 from Vadodara.It is a diary of Railway Contracts done by Mistris of Kutch
noted by Nanji Govindji Tank of Jamshedpur, complied by Dharsibhai Jethalal Tank. (This book was given Aank Sidhhi award by Kutch
Shakti at Mumbai in year 2000.) Pamban Bridge Contractors: Built by Manji Daya Vegad & Lakhu Devji Vegad of Anjar & Gangji Narayan
of Khedoi started works in 1887 for South Indian Railway. Also built Neel-Mandir at Rameshwaram : Page :29
[3] Shree Kutch Gurjar Kshatriya Samaj : A brief History & Glory of our fore-fathers :by Raja Pawan Jethwa. (2007). Section II: Mileage
wise available Details of Railway lines laid.Pages:63 to 70
[4] Their sentiment to metre gauge train is unfathomable (http:/ / www. hindu. com/ 2006/ 07/ 17/ stories/ 2006071705960300. htm)
[5] "Extra Extra !!!: A father's sacrifice - True Story" (http:/ / juliejacobe. blogspot. in/ 2008/ 03/ fathers-sacrifice-true-story. html). 26 March
2008. . Retrieved 2 July 2012.
[6] http:/ / juliejacobe. blogspot. com/ 2008/ 03/ fathers-sacrifice-true-story. html#comment-4920949913774048459
[7] http:/ / juliejacobe. blogspot. com/ 2008/ 03/ fathers-sacrifice-true-story. html#comment-4370380103850495959
[8] "Bridge of memories - and to Rameswaram - reopens" (http:/ / www. hindustantimes. com/ News-Feed/ India/
Bridge-of-memories-and-to-Rameswaram-reopens/ Article1-241808. aspx). Hindustan Times. 11 August 2007. .
[9] "Invigorating 'Pamban Bridge' an undying story" (http:/ / in. christiantoday. com/ articles/ invigorating-pamban-bridge-an-undying-story/
2756. htm). Christian Today India. 7 July 2008. Archived (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20100324161051/ http:/ / in. christiantoday. com/
articles/ invigorating-pamban-bridge-an-undying-story/ 2756. htm) from the original on 24 March 2010. .

External links
Barge cross Pamban rail bridge (http://www.hindu.com/2009/09/08/stories/2009090856630100.htm)
Strengthening of Pamban Railway Bridge (http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/article519853.ece)
..,
Article Sources and Contributors 5

Article Sources and Contributors

Pamban Bridge Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=526162004 Contributors: 12pavan34, AHert, Aakashraj1990kash, Alcoved id, Ammodramus, Bijuts, Binoyjsdk, Brucevdk,
CarTick, Chandan Guha, CharlotteWebb, Clt13, Cpbaherwani, D6, Darwinek, Docu, Flewis, Gene Nygaard, GrahamHardy, Grutness, Hardyraj, Hariehkr, Hemendra, Hugo999, Idleguy,
IndianGeneralist, Indiancorrector, Jcb10, Jeffery Gentry, Jethwarp, Jklamo, JovianSnickers, Kalkibhagwan, Kanatonian, Kar403, Kings777, L.vivian.richard, Lkinkade, MBisanz, Magioladitis,
Meghdootb, Mr Accountable, Mushroom, Neutrality, Outback the koala, Pearle, Prashantserai, Priyal vedpathak, Ravichandar84, Rdhinakar, Rich Farmbrough, Rockfang, Roland zh, S19991002,
SDC, Samcobra, Saurabh.vinian, SchfiftyThree, ShakthiSritharan, ShivNarayanan, Shyamsunder, Srithern, Ssriram mt, Stepheng3, Tabletop, The Silent Contributor, Tjsnathan, TransporterMan,
Vanniar, Vensatry, Vssun, 74 anonymous edits

Image Sources, Licenses and Contributors

File:Pamban Road and Rail Bridge.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Pamban_Road_and_Rail_Bridge.jpg License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 3.0
Contributors: ShakthiSritharan
Image:Pamban Bridge Commemorative plaque.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Pamban_Bridge_Commemorative_plaque.jpg License: Creative Commons
Attribution-Sharealike 3.0 Contributors: ShakthiSritharan
Image:Pamban Bridge.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Pamban_Bridge.jpg License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 3.0 Contributors: Sugeesh at
ml.wikipedia
File:Pamban Rail Bridge.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Pamban_Rail_Bridge.jpg License: Public Domain Contributors: Rockfang, Roland zh
Image:PambanBridge.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:PambanBridge.jpg License: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Contributors: Original uploader was
Ravichandar84 at en.wikipedia. Later version(s) were uploaded by Aavindraa at en.wikipedia.

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