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Fire at Pamban road bridge destroys cables
A pipeline carrying Cauvery water to the entire town of Rameswaram, cables of Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB), BSNL and private telecom companies were burnt to cinders at Pamban Road bridge, on Wednesday.
By
migrator
migrator
Chennai
The fire was first noticed by onlookers. Around 11 am, some personsnoticed smoke emanating from the pavement at the starting point of the bridge. Immediately, they alerted the Highway patrol team, which rushed to the spot and detected that the fire had broken out underneath the pavement on the left side (while proceeding from Rameswaram to Madurai) of the bridge. The personnel poured three cans of water and attempted to douse the fire.
Meanwhile, Fire and Rescue services reached the spot and ensured that the fire did not spread to other parts of the bridge. Soon after the TNEB was alerted and power supply to Pamban island and Mandapam was suspended. However, with the help of an alternate cable (which runs on the other side of the bridge), power was restored after two hours. But officials managed to supply power only at a low voltage.
After initial inquiries, police suspected that some local youth, who were spotted smoking near the entry point of the bridge, could have thrown a live cigarette butts, in the holes in the platform. Waste papers accumulated there would have caught fire and damaged the cables, said the police. Though the water line was damaged, supply to the holy town was not affected.
Also, officials say that water supply would not be affected as they can make use of the alternative pipeline on the right side of the bridge. Engineers of TNEB, present at the Pamban bridge, said that they do not have equipment to fix the cables and therefore engineers have to come from Chennai to repair them. It would take at least two days to set right the problem.
Damaged lamp posts pose a threat to road users
Lamp posts on Pamban road bridge pose a danger to tourist vehicles due to their precarious condition. Many of them lean forward dangerously, the base of some of them are damaged and a few others reveal the electrical wiring inside.
Fishermen who use the bridge frequently than the visitors have been requesting the officials to repair the lamp posts for long. Patrick, president, Country Boat Fishermen Association, Pamban, said that after the new road was laid a few months ago, there were many accidents on the bridge. The vehicles, involved in the accidents, have said to have rammed the lamp posts on several occasions.
As a result, the posts have developed cracks and they lean forward precariously as their base have been damaged beyond repair. They pose a threat to motorists, tourists and fisher folk, who use the bridge cross over from Pamban to Mandapam, several times a day.
Considering the importance of the bridge and lives of fishermen, officials should take immediate action and try to set right the lamp posts, demanded Patrick.
It is said that in 2015, lamp posts were replaced and several works were carried out at a cost of Rs 40 crore. New lamp posts with LED lights were fixed on the bridge in 2016. But, frequent accidents had damaged several lamp posts and the parapet on the bridge.
All about the bridge
A quick look at the various details of the road link that connects Mandapam and Pamban
- October 2, 1988 is the date of inauguration
- Designed in the shape of an arch
- 64 pillars of the 79 that hold the structure stand on the sea
- 17.68 metres is its height above sea level
- 174 lamp posts installed acrossthe 2-lane bridge
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