New Pambanbridge in next 3 months says a Railway Official

Work on the New Pamban bridge connecting the mainland with Rameshwaramislandon the one kilometer stretch on the sea will be completed by February 2024, two years behind schedule a top railway official told newspersons on November 18^th.

Member, Infrastructure of the Railway Board,Roop Narayan Sunkar said that construction work on the Pambanbridge will be completed by February 2024. Mr.Sunkar was inspecting the ongoing works at the bridge. He told media persons that, "Works on the bridge are underway, with more than 90 per cent of the works already completed.

The Rail Vikas Nigam authorities who are executing the project for nearly six years have been claiming for the last one year that 90 per cent of the work on the New Pamban bridge is over but the project is no way near completion.

The Railway board official who reached the project site in a special train from Chennai was in Rameshwaram to inspect development works on projects. Earlier in the day, he inspected renovation works at Rameswaram Railway station for which a sum of Rs 90 crores have been allocated by the Railway board. Considering the large number of pilgrims congregating at this temple town, the renovation scheme needs higher allocation like the pilgrim centers in the north according to local railway passenger associations..

Responding to a question about laying tracks on the Rameswaram - Dhanushkodi stretch, he said, "We need to get clearance from the state government to start work on the project. We have planned to lay elevated tracks, which won't be affected during high tide. Once we get clearance for other works, including land acquisition, we will commence work."

When asked about the lack of basic amenities at several railway stations, including Mandapam station, Sunkar stated that the railways department will address the issue. He was accompanied by the Divisional Railway Manager of Madurai and other railway officials.