Vertical Lift Malfunction: The new Pamban Rail Bridge’s vertical lift span got stuck midway while being lowered after inauguration.
Cause of Concern: The incident caused concern among railway officials.
Minor Issue: Railway officials downplayed the incident as a minor teething problem, which was eventually resolved.
Trains Operational: Seven trains, including the inaugural run of the Rameswaram-Tambaram train, ran over the bridge.
Embarrassing Incident: The incident proved embarrassing for officials despite the Railway Ministry touting the bridge as an engineering marvel.
Uneven Lowering: The Pamban-end of the lift span got stuck causing the other end (Mandapam) lowered unevenly, leaving the span in a slanted position.
Troubleshooting: Officials took approximately 30 minutes to resolve the issue and lower the lift completely.
Bridge Overview: The Pamban Rail Bridge connects Rameswaram Island to mainland Tamil Nadu. The new bridge replaces the old bascule bridge with a vertical lift mechanism. The bridge spans 2.07 kilometers and is designed to last 100 years.
