Chennai, Apr 6 (UNI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived on a short visit to
Tamil Nadu on Sunday noon.
Heightened security arrangements have been made at Rameswaram Island
and Pamban in Ramanathapuram district where he would inaugurate the new
Pamban Railway bridge and a host of road and rail projects.
Mr Modi arrived at the Mandapam helipad near Pamban by a MI 17 Navy
chopper from Anuradhapura in Sri Lanka at 1208 hrs.
He was received among others by Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw,
Union Minister of State L Murugan, Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi, TN
Ministers and senior district officials.
Mr Modi, on the occasion of Ram Navami, inaugurated the new Pamban
Rail Bridge--India’s first vertical lift sea bridge and flagged off a train and
a ship from the road bridge and witness the operation of the bridge.
Later he offered darshan and performed pooja at the ancient Sri Lord
Ramanathaswamy Temple at Rameswaram.
At an official event, Mr Modi laid the foundation stone and dedicated to
the nation various rail and road projects worth over Rs 8,300 crore.
The Prime Minister inaugurated the iconic new Pamban Rail Bridge and
flagged off the Rameswaram-Tambaram (Chennai) new train service,
titled Pamban Express.
The bridge carries a deep cultural significance. According to the Ramayana, the
construction of Ram Setu was initiated from Dhanushkodi near Rameswaram.
The bridge, linking Rameswaram to the mainland, stands as a remarkable feat of
Indian engineering on the global stage. It is built at a cost of over Rs 700 crore.
It is 2.08 km in length, features 99 spans and a 72.5-metre vertical lift span that
rises up to a height of 17 metres, facilitating smooth movement of ships while
ensuring seamless train operations. Constructed with stainless steel reinforcement,
high-grade protective paint, and fully welded joints, the bridge boasts increased
durability and reduced maintenance needs.
It is designed for dual rail tracks to accommodate future demands. A special
polysiloxane coating protects it from corrosion, ensuring longevity in the harsh
marine environment.
The Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone and dedicated to the nation
various rail and road projects worth over Rs 8,300 crore in Tamil Nadu. These
projects included laying foundation stone for four-laning of 28 km long Walajapet
– Ranipet section of NH-40 and the 4-laned 29 km long Viluppuram – Puducherry
section of NH-332; 57 km long Poondiyankuppam – Sattanathapuram section of
NH-32 and 48 km long Cholapuram – Thanjavur section of NH-36.
These highways will connect many pilgrim centres and tourist places, reduce
distance between cities and enable faster access to Medical College and
Hospital, Ports besides empowering local farmers to transport agricultural
products to the nearby markets and boost economic activity of local leather
and small scale
industries.
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