Chennai: In an alarming development, the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) Southern Circle Bengaluru has flagged “glaring lapses” in the planning and execution of the Pamban bridge between Mandapam and Pamban stations in Tamil Nadu. The CRS has recommended “stipulations” for starting commercial services on the bridge.
In a letter to the Southern Railway dated November 26, Commissioner of Railway Safety, AM Chowdhary said that while the existing bridge was a technical marvel, the new bridge “sets a bad example of constructing an important structure with glaring lapses right from planning to its execution”.
Chowdhary said that he carried out two inspections on Nov 13 and 14 of the reconstructed bridge between Mandapam and Pamban stations in Madurai Division of Southern Railway for public carriage of passengers. The inspection was followed by a speed trial on Nov 14 from Pamban to Mandapam with speed of 80 kmph and no peak exceeding 0.15 g.
Commissioner of Railway Safety said that during inspection, the lift span girder was found non-RDSO (Railways Standards Organisation) standard and designed using foreign codes which entailed association of RDSO in the project.
“However, from the perusal of records it is evident that with the support of Railway Board, RDSO shunned its responsibility in the design of the girder,” CRS letter reads. It said that to construct such bridges there was a standard practice of formation of Technical Advisory Group (TAG). However, as a fallout of the decision taken to disassociate RDSO from the project, this was also not done in the case of Pamban bridge, the letter said adding “It was unfortunate that Railway Board had been flouting its own guidelines”.
The CRS has however allowed the opening of the new bridge between Mandapam and Pamban for public carriage of passengers and goods trains with a maximum speed of 75 kmph subject to loading standard and maximum speed indicated in track certificate, bridge certificate and joint safety certificate.
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