Southern Railway GM orders for safety audit of New Pamban Railway Bridge

Exactly one month after Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the New Pamban Rail Bridge on April 6, Southern Railway General Manager R.N. Singh has instructed the Principal Chief Safety Officer (PCSO) and Principal Chief Electrical Engineer (PCEE) to undertake safety audit on synchronisation of vertical lift span in the new bridge.
Consequently, the PSCO and PCEE along with Chief Signal Engineer, officials of Rail Vikas Nigam Limited and the original equipment manufacturers would make a detailed site inspection followed by a technical meeting at Pamban Bridge on May 7 and 8. The decision on site inspection was taken during the General Manager's weekly safety meeting held on April 22 in which critical issues related to Pamban Bridge, specifically regarding synchronisation of the lifting system and the auto application of brake were discussed.
The GM has instructed the senior officials to resolve the issues at the earliest. The Prime Minister operated the 72.5-metre-long vertical lift for allowing Coast Guard ships to pass under it on the Pamban navigational channel. The movable deck was lifted up for 17 metres.
Lift stuck midway
However, within a few minutes, when the railway officials attempted to lower the movable deck, it got stuck midway, much to the embarrassment of railway officials.
Meanwhile, rail movement continued uninterrupted on the bridge. However, the vertical span was lifted only on April 30 for the first time for passage of big fishing vessels.
A railway source said that a preliminary meeting was held with representatives of Control Care Automation that has supplied SCADA system for operation of the movable deck and officials of RVNL on April 28.
The meeting underlined various issues that required site inspection with all the stakeholders involved in design, construction, commissioning and testing of the vertical lift span.
Representatives of the original equipment manufacturers of all electro-mechanical components, the designers of the bridge, civil contractor and officials of RVNL pertaining to mechanical, civil, electrical and signal departments would participate in the two-day inspection, termed to be high importance, for the safe and uninterrupted operation of the New Pamban Rail Bridge.
However, a senior railway official downplayed the conduct of safety audit claiming that the zonal railway wanted to thoroughly check the electromechanical system of the vertical lift.

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