Skip to main content

India mulls feasibility of bridge over Palk Straight to Sri Lanka

India will carry out a feasibility study on a road link between Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu state and Thalaimannar in Sri Lanka, a federal government minister has said. "It needs the consent of both countries,” said Union minister of state for road transport, highways and shipping, Pon Radhakrishnan. “The project needs to be discussed at various levels," according to a brief report by India’s Hindu newspaper. Radhakrishnan told the reporters that federal government had begun consultations to carry out a
October 27, 2015 Read time: 2 mins
India will carry out a feasibility study on a road link between Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu state and Thalaimannar in Sri Lanka, a federal government minister has said.
 
"It needs the consent of both countries,” said Union minister of state for road transport, highways and shipping, Pon Radhakrishnan. “The project needs to be discussed at various levels," according to a brief report by India’s Hindu newspaper.

Radhakrishnan told the reporters that federal government had begun consultations to carry out a feasibility study on various possibilities.

Palk Strait is named after Robert Palk, a British governor of Madras Presidency during the 18th century.

The strait connects the Bay of Bengal in the northeast with Palk Bay and the Gulf of Mannar in the southwest. However, at its narrowest point, it is studded with a 30km chain of low islands and reef shoals collectively called Adam's Bridge. One of the Indian islands, Rameswaram, is linked to the mainland by the 2km Pamban Road Bridge that opened in 1988. It runs parallel to the much older Pamban Rail Bridge, which was built in 1914.

In June, Mumbai-based dna newspaper reported that a proposal for providing road and rail link bridging the divide across Palk Strait had been submitted to the Asian Development Bank, for a pre-feasibility study and subsequent financing.

A “makeshift ferry service” now connects the two closest points. Union minister for road transport and highways at the time, Nitin Gadkari, said the link could be a combination of bridge and sea tunnel, dna reported.

Related Content

  • Multi-purpose bridge options
    March 1, 2012
    Multi-purpose bridges are being proposed as suitable infrastructure options for Bangladesh as well as to link Argentina and Paraguay.
  • Major success for bC India despite challenging economic conditions
    April 4, 2013
    Despite challenging times, the second bC India construction equipment show proved a success Mumbai, India’s most populous city and the fourth most populous in the world, has again delivered a successful bC India. The bauma/ConExpo international trade fair for construction machinery, building material machines, mining machines and construction vehicles, was held at the Bandra Kurla Complex, and impressively strengthened its position in the Indian market despite the challenging situation in the industry. Duri
  • Norway mulls new routes across the vast Hardangervidda plateau
    November 2, 2015
    Norway is considering proposals for another route across over the vast Hardangervidda, one of Europe’s largest plateaux and most of which is a national park. The Norwegian Road Administration (Statens Vegvesen) said one proposal would incorporate a 6km tunnel at a cost more than €216 million, according to a report the Nationen newspaper.
  • Faroes’ Streymoy-to-Sandoy Tunnel opens
    January 23, 2024
    The 10.8km-long Sandoy Tunnel connecting the islands of Streymoy and Sandoy opened in mid-December and is the longest subsea tunnel in the Faroe Islands.