New Pamban rail bridge: Commissioner of Railway Safety permits operation of trains but flags ‘glaring lapses’

The Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS), Southern Circle, A.M. Chowdhary, has pointed out “glaring lapses” right from the planning stage to the execution of the new Pamban rail bridge, even as he gave the go-ahead to use it.

The Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS), Southern Circle, A.M. Chowdhary, has pointed out “glaring lapses” right from the planning stage to the execution of the new Pamban rail bridge, even as he gave the go-ahead for operating trains on the structure.

Mr. Chowdhary authorised the opening of the reconstructed bridge between Mandapam and Pamban (halt) stations in the Madurai Division of Southern Railway for public carriage of passengers and goods traffic, with a maximum speed of 75 kmph.

In his authorisation report, dated November 26, made available to The Hindu, he has imposed a speed restriction of 50 kmph over the lift girder of the bridge, which, he said, could be further relaxed by the Chief Bridge Engineer of Southern Railway.

The CRS on November 13 and 14 inspected the bridge consisting of 99 spans, two auxiliary girders, one vertical life span of 72 m, and a single line broad gauge track on the diverted alignment between Mandapam and Pamban railway stations over the Pamban sea channel.

The new rail bridge has been constructed to replace the old Pamban rail bridge built in 1914 with a double-leaf bascule section and a Scherzer rolling type lift span that could be raised to let ships pass.

The CRS was appreciative of the construction of the old bridge more than 100 years ago, which is widely regarded as a technical marvel, considering the lack of availability of technology in those days and the corrosive environment the bridge had withstood.

The Railway Board normally takes technical advice from the Research Designs and Standards Organization (RDSO), a research and development organisation under the Ministry of Railways, which functions as a consultant to the Railway Board, in respect of design and standardisation of railway equipment and problems related to railway construction, operation, and maintenance.