Accidents continue on slippery Pamban road bridge

Pamban bridge is the only available connectivity between Pamban island and the mainland and hundreds of vehicles ply on the bridge towards Rameswaram and Dhanushkodi. Also, the road bridge, in the recent years, had become an important view point for tourists as all of them experienced a panoramic view of the Pamban island, along with the sea. 

In July, the road was re-laid. However, it turned out to be slippery leading to a large number of accidents. Following that, the slippery surface of the road was removed and a proposal to repair it was sent. 

Also, many preventive measures such as erecting speed breakers at both the entry points of the bridge, setting up barricades, signals at the entry points and in the mid of the Pamban bridge were taken up. Also the tourists were not allowed to stand at the midpoint of the bridge. 

Despite all these efforts, accidents could not be prevented on the bridge. Also the incessant rain made the road more slippery. On Saturday morning there were three accidents involving buses. 

In the first accident, a TNSTC bus from Ramanthapuram, while crossing the bridge, could not apply brake. It hit the lamp post after slipping on the road. In two other accidents, a jeep of Marine Police dashed against the TNSTC bus and a private college bus too slipped and hit the lamp post. 

None was injured seriously in all the three accidents. Though of minor nature, the accidents could not be prevented on the bridge due to the slippery nature of the road.