A huge barge that was being tugged by a boat hit against the pillar of Pamban sea bridge while passing through the Scherzer’s span of the bridge, on Saturday afternoon.
According to railway sources, the barge had come from Kerala in connection with construction of the new rail bridge along the existing Pamban bridge.
After the Scherzer’s span was opened by railway authorities, the barge crossed the bridge.
However, due to strong current in the sea it drifted and its rear portion dashed against one of the pillars of the bridge. One of the two boats that was closely following the barge also hit the cantilever.
A video clipping showed that the arch-shaped iron structure in the rear portion of the boat got entangled with the cantilever as the boat came closer to the pillar of the bridge. The iron arch of the boat was damaged.
However, a railway official said that railway engineers were assessing the pillar and the span for any possible damage. No complaint has been lodged so far.
Rail traffic on Pamban sea bridge has remained suspended for nearly a month now following an alert over the stability of the structure of the bridge.