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Rails above, waves below: Pamban Bridge 2.0 is here; all you need to know | Chennai News – The Times of India

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Rails above, waves below: Pamban Bridge 2.0 is here; all you need to know | Chennai News – The Times of India


NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to unveil a landmark infrastructure project today — the new Pamban Rail Bridge in Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu. Timed with Ram Navami, the inauguration of the 2.07-kilometre-long bridge marks a significant boost to rail connectivity between mainland India and Rameswaram Island.

India’s First Vertical Lift Sea Bridge

Replacing the historic 111-year-old Pamban Bridge, decommissioned in 2022 due to corrosion, the new bridge is India’s first vertical lift railway sea bridge. Built at a cost of over Rs 535 crore by Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL), the bridge is engineered to allow both high-speed train travel and smooth maritime passage.

Pamban Bridge Length

The new Pamban bridge is 2.07 kilometres long, extending across the Palk Strait in Tamil Nadu. The substructure supports two railway tracks, whilst the upper structure currently serves a single line.

A 72.5-metre-long navigational span can be raised to a height of 17 metres in under five minutes, ensuring minimal disruption to ship movement.
This advanced lifting mechanism is electro-mechanical and requires just one operator. However, it cannot be used during high wind conditions exceeding 58 kmph.

Faster, Safer and Future-Ready

The bridge has been designed to withstand the region’s harsh marine environment and is equipped with stainless steel reinforcement, composite sleepers, and polysiloxane protective coatings to resist corrosion. With 100 spans and a clearance of 22 metres above sea level — significantly higher than the old bridge’s 1.5 metres — it can accommodate larger vessels and heavier railway loads.

Pamban Bridge Operation

It’s also built with the future in mind: though currently operating a single rail line, the substructure is ready to support two. The bridge is also compatible with railway electrification and is built to last 100 years with minimal maintenance.

Train Speeds Up, Delays Down

Railway authorities say the new structure allows trains to cross in under five minutes at speeds up to 75 kmph — a dramatic improvement from the 25-30 minutes needed on the previous bridge, where trains were limited to just 10 kmph.

Pamban Bridge

According to RVNL officials, the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) has approved a top speed of 75 kmph across the main span and 50 kmph on the lift section, even though the bridge itself is engineered for up to 80 kmph.

Rail Link to Rameswaram Restored

Train services to Rameswaram, suspended since December 2022 due to safety concerns, will now resume. Pilgrim-heavy routes like the Rameswaram-Tirupati Weekly Express and Rameswaram-Kanyakumari Tri-Weekly Express will be back on track, potentially benefiting over 25 lakh devotees who visit the famous Ramanathaswamy Temple annually.

Modern Engineering Marvel

The bridge has been compared to global engineering icons like the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco and the Tower Bridge in London due to its modern construction techniques and aesthetics.

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Unique features include the use of the Auto Launching Method — a complex technique pioneered by Suntech Construction and validated by IIT Madras — for assembling the lift span. Segments were pre-painted and inspected offsite before being transported to Pamban and fitted using advanced cranes and ultrasonic testing.
Connecting Mandapam on the mainland with Pamban Island, this vertical-lift bridge is being celebrated as a technological leap forward — not just in railway engineering, but also in restoring a vital emotional and spiritual link for millions of devotees.





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Pahalgam attack: IPL players to wear black armbands, no fireworks and cheerleaders during MI vs SRH match today | Hyderabad News – The Times of India

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Pahalgam attack: IPL players to wear black armbands, no fireworks and cheerleaders during MI vs SRH match today | Hyderabad News – The Times of India


HYDERABAD: In a gesture of solidarity and mourning, players of Mumbai Indians and Sunrisers Hyderabad will wear black armbands during tonight’s Indian Premier League (IPL) match in Hyderabad, to mourn the victims of the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which claimed several lives and left many injured.
As a mark of respect, the match will not feature cheerleaders or fireworks, both common elements of the IPL’s celebratory atmosphere. The sombre mood reflects the collective grief felt across the nation in the wake of the attack.
Umpires will wear black armbands during match as a symbol of grief. A one-minute silence will also be observed.
Mufaddal Vohra also tweet read: “Players of MI and SRH and umpires will be wearing black armbands tonight. – A one minute silence will be observed. – No fireworks, cheerleaders tonight.”
IPL clash between Mumbai Indians and Sunrisers Hyderabad is scheduled to begin at 7:30pm at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium.
The IPL clash between Mumbai Indians and Sunrisers Hyderabad is scheduled to begin at 7:30pm at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium.
28 tourists killed in Pahalgam attack
The terror attack in Pahalgam on Tuesday resulted in 28 tourist fatalities and numerous injuries, displaying disturbing patterns. The incident took place at Baisaran meadow, a picturesque location situated 7km from Pahalgam that visitors can reach only by walking or riding horses.
Witnesses reported that six international militants, wearing Army uniforms as a disguise, reportedly demanded the victims to reveal their names and recite Islamic verses before firing at them from close proximity. The random shooting appeared to be aimed at identifying and attacking non-Muslim tourists, indicating religious targeting.
Lieutenant Vinay Narwal, a Navy officer stationed in Kochi, was amongst the casualties. He was holidaying with his new bride, having celebrated their wedding on April 16. The list of deceased also included two international visitors from Nepal and the UAE.
The incident occurred at 1:30pm in broad daylight, despite the presence of security forces in the vicinity. The attackers targeted tourists who were enjoying the beautiful landscape of pine forests and snow-capped mountains.





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Madras high court dismisses Tamil Nadu govt, TASMAC’s pleas against ED raids | Chennai News – The Times of India

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Madras high court dismisses Tamil Nadu govt, TASMAC’s pleas against ED raids | Chennai News – The Times of India


The court granted the ED liberty to proceed based on the raids, which stemmed from allegations of financial irregularities and overpricing of liquor bottles, reportedly amounting to Rs 1,000 crore.

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Wednesday dismissed the pleas moved by the Tamil Nadu govt and TASMAC challenging the legality of raids conducted by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the offices of TASMAC.
A division bench of Justice S M Subramaniam and Justice K Rajasekar passed the order while granting liberty to the ED to proceed further on the basis of the raids.
The Tamil Nadu govt and TASMAC claimed that the ED searches were conducted without any jurisdiction in an arbitrary and high-handed manner.
TASMAC alleged that its officials and staff were harassed and subjected to human rights violations by the ED during the searches.
The ED, however, denied the allegations of TASMAC that its staff and officials were harassed and subjected to human rights violations during the raids.
According to the ED, the raids were conducted based on allegations against TASMAC that its officials engaged in overpricing of liquor bottles and other financial irregularities to the tune of Rs 1,000 crore.

KEY HIGHLIGHTS

  • The Madras High Court dismissed the petitions filed by the Tamil Nadu government and the Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation challenging the legality of the Enforcement Directorate’s raids.
  • The Enforcement Directorate claims the raids were based on allegations of financial irregularities and overpricing of liquor bottles amounting to Rs 1,000 crore.
  • TASMAC alleged harassment and human rights violations during the raids, which the Enforcement Directorate denied.





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Former Karnataka DGP murder: Om Prakash’s daughter Kriti discharged from hospital, detained for questioning – The Times of India

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Former Karnataka DGP murder: Om Prakash’s daughter Kriti discharged from hospital, detained for questioning – The Times of India


BENGALURU: The HSR Layout police, investigating the murder case of former director general of police and inspector general of police (DG & IGP) Om Prakash, detained his daughter Kriti in the early hours of Wednesday.
According to sources, Kriti, who was admitted to Nimhans Hospital for evaluation on Monday, was discharged. The doctors who evaluated her informed the police that she was doing well. Consequently, the HSR Layout police rushed to the hospital and took her to the police station.
A senior officer told TOI, “After Kriti’s discharge from the hospital, we have to keep her in a safe place. As she is still an accused in the case and her role is yet to be established, we cannot let her go somewhere. So, she is brought to the police station and is subjected to questioning.” The assistant commissioner of police (Madiwala) is investigating the case.
However, the police commissioner, B Dayananda, transferred the case to the central crime branch (CCB) on Monday late evening. The investigation is assigned to an ACP rank officer at CCB. The newly assigned IO is yet to take the case file from the Madiwala ACP and begin the probe.
“We will be handing over the case file and Kriti, the suspect in the case, to the new IO today. It is for the new IO to further interrogate her, establish her role, and take further necessary action. The new IO will be filing a petition in the court seeking the police custody of Prakash’s wife, Pallavi Om Prakash, 64, on a body warrant. She was remanded to 14 days judicial custody by a magistrate on Monday night.”
Prakash was killed in his house in MCHS Layout in HSR Layout 6th sector on Sunday afternoon. He was brutally stabbed to death. According to his elder son, Karthikesh Om Prakash, 39, his mother Pallavi and sister Kriti are suspects in his father’s murder.
Pallavi maintained that she alone killed her husband and that Kriti had no role in it. She also claimed that Kriti is mentally disturbed due to domestic violence from Prakash.
Kriti has not been cooperating with the investigation from day one. When the police rushed to the house after learning about the murder, she was on the third floor and refused to open the door.
The police had to forcefully enter the floor and detain her. She also allegedly created a ruckus in the station on Monday evening as police were not able to get any leads regarding her involvement in the murder and scolded police for detaining her.





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