6The Chennai Rameshwaram Route, India
The municipality of Rameshwaram in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu on Pamban Island is connected to the mainland by the Pamban Bridge. Construction on this railway bridge began in 1914. It is 12.5 meters above sea level and was India’s first sea bridge.
With a total length of 2,065 meters, it was also the longest one in the country prior to the opening of the Bandra-Worli Bridge, now known as the Rajiv Gandhi sea link, in 2010. This bridge rests on concrete piers and includes a standard double-leaf bascule middle section, which is raised to permit ships to pass. It was the sole surface transport joining the island to the mainland until 1988 when a road bridge, Annai Indira Gandhi Road Bridge, was built parallel to this railway bridge. It joins the NH 49 highway with the island.
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