Pamban Bridge is a railway bridge that connects the town of Rameswaram on Pamban Island in Tamil Nadu, India, to the mainland. It was opened in 1914 and was India’s first sea bridge. The bridge spans a 2.3-kilometer-long channel that separates Pamban Island from the mainland, and it is considered an engineering marvel because of its location in a cyclone-prone zone.
The Pamban Bridge was designed and built by the British engineer Scherzer, who was also responsible for the construction of the famous Firth of Forth Bridge in Scotland. The bridge has a double-leaf bascule section that can be raised to allow ships and barges to pass underneath.
In addition to its functional role as a transportation link between the mainland and Pamban Island, the Pamban Bridge is also a popular tourist attraction. Visitors can take a train ride across the bridge to enjoy stunning views of the surrounding area, including the Indian Ocean, the Bay of Bengal, and the nearby town of Rameswaram, which is an important pilgrimage site for Hindus.
