No stopping vehicles on Pamban bridge

Rameswaram: Tourists visiting Rameswaram hereafter will not be allowed to stop their vehicles on the Pamban road bridge to enjoy panoramic views of the deep blue sea below.

This decision emerged when Justices K.K. Sasidharan, G.R. Swaminathan and J. Nisha Banu, of Madurai bench of Madras High court, travelled to Rameswaram and Dhanushkodi on Sunday to personally ascertain the facts relating to two PILs’ filed in the Madurai bench recently.

A case filed by advocate G. Thirumurugan from Ramanathapuram asked to prohibit parking of vehicles on the bridge, setting up sufficient number of parking lots near the bridge and repair of the poor quality road causing accidents on the bridge.

After examining the bridge, Justice Sasidharan asked Ramanathapuram SP, Om Prakash Meena not to allow vehicles to be parked on it and fine motorists found driving at speeds above 30 kmph on the two kilometer long stretch of the bridge.
Regarding parking space, Justice Sasidharan advised revenue officials to convert the empty space available on the left side of the exit point of the bridge into a parking lot to accommodate 40 vehicles at a time. Revenue officials also agreed to the judges’ suggestion for the construction of a pathway leading to the bridge to help people have a view of the sea.

On the petitioner’s contention that mixing of rubber-like content along with tar (asphalt) in laying the road on the bridge had caused more accidents due to its slippery nature, superintending engineer of the National Highways Authority informed the Judges that recurring accidents on the bridge was mainly due to over-speeding of vehicles. Officials told them that they had submitted proposals to the Central government for the overlay of 30 mm bituminous concrete to improve skid resistance.

The judges stopped at a few coastal villages near Dhanushkodi to hear the views of fisher folks in another case filed by the same petitioner not to shift them to town and provide basic infrastructure in their villages. Collector S Natarajan told the Judges that this was an ecologically sensitive zone where the sea was slowly intruding into the land. They will soon stop private vehicles to Dhanushkodi from Mukuntharayar Chathiram (ten kilometres). Instead tourists would be allowed to travel only in public transport to conserve the present ecosystem here, said the collector.

While welcoming this idea, Justice Sasidharan said that it should be implemented in full spirit and even VVIPs should not be allowed to travel in their vehicles up to Dhanushkodi.

The Judge also advised the collector not to allow any new settlements in the area and facilitate fishermen to set up makeshift shops only at Mukuntharayar Chathiram.