A bridge too near: From Ram Setu to the New Pamban Bridge, India’s legends and infrastructure meet over sacred waters

I just read a scintillating account of Ram Setu, the “enchanting bridge” of limestone shoals that connects the Indian mainland to Sri Lanka. Written by a former student, Professor Arup K. Chatterjee, the book will soon appear in an Indian reprint.

Celebrated in the ancient epic, Ramayana, Ram Setu was believed to have been built in mythical times by Rama’s army of forest-dwelling hominid subalterns and sepoys. With this rag-tag army, the god-hero marched to Lanka, the capital of the demonic despot, Ravana, to win back his wife, Sita, whom Ravana had abducted.

Ever since, the dream of an overland link between India and Sri Lanka has been kept alive by the allure of both legend and commerce, not to mention strategic and diplomatic considerations. On April 6, on Rama’s birthday, which marks a major spring festival around the Hindu new year, India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, inaugurated the New Pamban Bridge.

Geological evidence suggests that what was once a land connection between India and Sri Lanka submerged around 7,000 years ago due to rising sea levels. But parts of this natural formation re-emerging over millennia allowing, according to some accounts, a land passage as recently as 500 years ago. The inauguration of the new bridge underscores its spiritual resonance, bridging mythology and modernity. Modi’s aerial glimpse of Ram Setu on the same day further intertwines these narratives, framing the New Pamban Bridge as a contemporary echo of Rama’s legendary feat.

Built at a cost of over Rs5.5 billion ($64 million), this state-of-the-art vertical lift railway sea bridge, spanning 2.07 kilometers across the Palk Strait in Tamil Nadu, marks a significant milestone in India’s infrastructural evolution. It does not quite connect India to Sri Lanka, but the sacred island of Rameswaram, where Rama prayed for victory, to Mandapam on the Indian mainland.

What many contemporary Indians don’t know, however, is that there was already an older Pamban Bridge, equally historic. Quite an engineering marvel in its times, it was constructed by British and Indian engineers over 111 years back. Inaugurated on February 24, 1914, it was India’s first and longest sea bridge. Until the Bandra-Worli Sea Link opened in 2010. The old Pamban Bridge rested on concrete piers, but its main attraction was midway, an arresting double-leaf bascule, which was raised to let ships and barges pass.

Of course, times have changed. The new bridge lifts in under six minutes while the old one took over half an hour. What is more the old bridge was rusted as well as dysfunctional since the devastating 1964 Rameshwaram cyclone, which flattened the last Indian village jutting into the sea, appropriately called Dhanushkodi. Operations on the parallel rail line, also suspended because of the structural weakness of the old bridge, will also be reopened.

The New Pamban Bridge, constructed by Rail Vikas Nigam Limited, incorporates a 72.5-metre vertical lift span that rises 17 meters in just five minutes 30 seconds, enabling seamless passage for larger ships. It also supports trains at speeds up to 80 kmph. Standing 3 meters higher than the old bridge, it offers a navigational clearance of 22 meters above sea level.

Designed with stainless steel reinforcements, fully welded joints, and a polysiloxane coating to combat the corrosive marine environment, the bridge promises a lifespan of over 100 years. Its substructure supports dual tracks, preparing it for future rail expansion, a stark upgrade from the manually operated, single-track Scherzer construction. This technological leap not only enhances connectivity to Rameswaram but also symbolises India’s ambition to blend tradition with progress.

The new structure not only showcases India’s modern engineering prowess but also resonates with the region’s deep mythological significance tied to Ram Setu. What is interesting is that the Muslim conquerors believed that Sri Lanka was the mythical Eden out of which Adam and Eve were ousted. There is a mountain top known as Adam’s Peak in Sri Lanka and Ram Setu came also to be known as Adam’s Bridge.

But two competing legends, not entirely superseded by modern science, have not reduced its charm. An aerial view reveals a narrow strip, less than 50 kilometers, of barely submerged stunning shoals shining through the aquamarine waters, overhanging with wispy clouds in the azure sky. In the hazy horizon lies Sri Lanka, once called Serendip.

These stories, old, new, and mythic, still ignite discussions about the tantalising possibility of an overland passage from the Indian mainland to Sri Lanka, a vision that has lingered for 150 years. As early as the 1870s, the British envisioned a railway extending from Dhanushkodi to Talaimannar, crossing Ram Setu to boost trade with Ceylon. Though financial and logistical constraints limited the project to the 1914 old Pamban Bridge, the idea persisted.

The new bridge’s advanced design — accommodating larger vessels and higher rail capacity — addresses some limitations of its predecessor, yet the shallow Palk Strait and Ram Setu’s ecological sensitivity remain hurdles.

Proposals like the Palk Strait Bridge, a combined road and rail link paralleling Ram Setu, have resurfaced, with feasibility studies nearing completion by August 2024. Such a project could slash shipping distances by over 400 kilometers, enhance tourism, and deepen economic ties, echoing the ancient connectivity Ram Setu once provided.

However, challenges abound. The strait’s shallow draft, cyclone-prone conditions, and seismic risks demand meticulous engineering, while environmental and religious concerns—particularly around dredging near Ram Setu—complicate execution. The new Pamban Bridge, though a triumph for India, is but a stepping stone. Extending connectivity to Sri Lanka would require international cooperation, substantial investment, and a delicate balance between development and heritage preservation.

Will India rise to the challenge? I believe it will.