Pamban Road Bridge

Pamban Road Bridge, officially Annai Indira Gandhi Road Bridge, is a 2.345 km road bridge over the Palk Strait connecting Mandapam on the mainland with Pamban Island in Ramanathapuram District, Tamil Nadu. Opened in 1988, it runs parallel to the historic Pamban Rail Bridge and carries National Highway 87 to Rameswaram. Notable as an engineering landmark, it offers expansive sea views and is a key access route for pilgrims and tourists.

Visitors can expect a long sea bridge with two lanes carrying vehicular traffic over the Palk Strait. From the bridge there are panoramic views of the turquoise sea, the parallel Pamban Rail Bridge, fishing boats and the coastline. There is no pedestrian walkway for leisurely strolling; most visitors experience the bridge while driving or from viewpoints at either end at Mandapam and Pamban.

The bridge was constructed to provide a direct road link to Rameswaram Island, which was previously accessible only by rail and ferry. Construction was completed in 1988 at a length of 2.345 km. It was inaugurated on 2 October 1988 by Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and named after former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. It significantly improved connectivity for pilgrims, residents and trade to Rameswaram.

The bridge serves as the main road gateway to Rameswaram, a major pilgrimage centre for devotees visiting Ramanathaswamy Temple. It is regarded as an engineering landmark of Tamil Nadu and is often visited for its scenic sea crossing alongside the historic rail bridge.