The century-old engineering marvel that finally succumbed to the sea

Countries & Cities · Published 12 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: For over a hundred years, the Pamban Bridge served as a vital lifeline between mainland India and Rameswaram. But even the most robust steel and concrete cannot indefinitely resist the relentless, corrosive power of a marine environment and the seasonal fury of cyclones.

Opened on 24 February 1914, the Pamban Bridge was a landmark of Indian infrastructure. As the nation's first sea bridge, it provided the only surface transport link between Mandapam and Pamban Island for decades, until a parallel road bridge was completed in 1988. The structure was a 2,065 m long feat of engineering, resting on 143 piers and sitting 12.5 m above sea level.

The bridge's most distinctive feature was its double-leaf bascule section, specifically a Scherzer rolling type lift span. This mechanism allowed ships and barges to pass through the 2.06 km wide strait. However, the operation was a labor-intensive process; the two leaves, each weighing 415 tonnes, had to be operated manually using levers, a process that took 45 minutes for each lift and drop.

Maintaining the bridge was a constant battle against nature. Located in a high-wind-velocity, cyclone-prone zone, the structure faced significant threats, including the devastating 1964 Rameswaram cyclone. Beyond weather, the corrosive marine atmosphere caused the bascule section to weaken significantly over time. By December 2022, rail transportation was permanently suspended due to this corrosion.

The era of the original bridge is now transitioning into a new chapter. Following the completion of a new railway bridge in April 2025, plans were announced in January 2026 to dismantle the old structure, beginning with the central span. This process has already faced its own challenges, such as a crane collapse during dismantling in late January 2026.

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