RAMANATHAPURAM
Describing as ‘very challenging’ the repair work in the Scherzer’s span – cracks were detected in some of the members of its trusses – in the 104-year-old Pamban rail bridge, Southern Railway Chief Bridge Engineer Ravindra Babu has declined to fix a date for resuming train services to Rameswaram island, which remain suspended since December 4.
After inspecting the repair work along with Rajeev Varma, Executive Director, Bridges, Research Designs and Standards Organisation, Indian Railways, Lucknow, on Monday, he said, “We are doing the work on a war footing, but can’t fix any date (for resuming train services). It’s a very challenging work.”
The repair work was in progress under very challenging climatic conditions. The wind was blowing at a velocity of more than 50 km per hour and it was also raining. They were concerned about the safety of the workers. Mr. Varma had given some suggestions in the work, he said.
Mr. Babu said the Southern Railway proposed to engage Structural Engineering Research Centre (SERI), Chennai, a constituent research laboratory of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), to conduct an analysis. “Only after SERI inspection, we will be able to announce which day the services will be resumed,” he said.
Madurai division of Southern Railway had changed the pattern of rail services in Madurai–Rameswaram sector till January 2, 2019, after closing the bridge even for movement of empty rakes. Official sources, however, indicated that the repair work would take longer and train services could be resumed only in February.
Presently, train services were terminated at Mandapam and the railways have made arrangements for transporting passengers between Mandapam and Rameswaram and vice versa.