RAMANATHAPURAM: Sparks flew over the Pamban sea on Monday as workers began dismantling the 111-year-old Pamban old railway lift bridge, cutting through iron sections with welding torches and lifting them away using a heavy-duty crane, removing the British-era structure from the scenic seas forever.
The Railways has ordered the removal of the historic structure after it exceeded 111 years of service, and a replacement bridge has been completed. The work has been entrusted to Rail Vikas Nigam (RVNL), and the central lift span — the most recognisable portion of the bridge — is being removed in the first phase.
More than 20 workers from a private firm are engaged in cutting iron rods and railway tracks, even as calls have grown louder to protect the removal structure at a monument in Rameswaram, in recognition of its service and historic status.
A crane has been stationed at the centre of the bridge to lift dismantled sections. On Monday, iron components at the central joint were cut and hoisted away, drawing the attention of tourists who watched the operation from the nearby Pamban road bridge.
A senior railway official stated that the dismantling of the lift span is expected to be completed within four months. The structure is being removed in phases by welding and lifting portions section by section. Once the lift span is fully removed, fishing boats and vessels will be allowed to pass through the new bridge as usual. In the second phase, iron girders and tracks on other portions of the old railway bridge will be dismantled, he said.
Adjacent to the old bridge, a new railway bridge has been constructed at a cost of Rs 645 crore. It was inaugurated by the Prime Minister on April 6 and has since been brought into use.
Even as the removal progresses, tourists and heritage enthusiasts have urged authorities to preserve the memory of the old lift span. They have requested that a replica of the structure be installed in Rameswaram, Pamban, or near the Abdul Kalam memorial, along with details of its history, so that future generations can view it as a historical landmark.