Travelers from Karnataka are growing increasingly frustrated by the ongoing absence of direct train services to Rameswaram, one of India’s prominent Jyotirlinga Peethas. This sentiment prevails even after the inauguration of the new Pamban bridge connecting Mandapam on the mainland to Rameswaram on Pamban island in April, and the subsequent statutory inspection of the 52-km electrified rail line.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi officially opened the impressive 2.07 km-long new Pamban bridge, featuring a 72-meter vertical central lifting section, on April 6. Adding to the readiness, Southern Railway’s Principal Chief Electrical Engineer Ganesh successfully conducted a statutory inspection of the electrified 52-km stretch between Ramanathapuram and Rameswaram stations in the Madurai division on September 13, 2025, which included a high-speed trial run between the two stations.
The November 13 statutory inspection by Southern Railway’s Principal Chief Electrical Engineer Ganesh also included a high-speed trial on the 52-km electric traction between Ramanathapuram and Rameswaram in Madurai division.
The much-anticipated Mangaluru Central–Rameswaram Bi-weekly Express received approval from the Railway Board as early as March 2024. However, despite this green light, the service is yet to commence operations. Rail operations to Rameswaram in the Madurai division were halted in December 2022 due to the unsafe condition of the old Pamban bridge. While the new bridge is functional, the Southern Railway has made no announcement regarding the start of the new service.
Adding to the public’s concern, existing weekly special trains, such as Train No. 07355/56 SSS Hubballi-Ramanathapuram-SSS Hubballi and Train No. 06237/38 Mysuru-Ramanathapuram-Mysuru (via Bengaluru), continue to terminate at Ramanathapuram, forcing passengers to seek connecting trains to reach Rameswaram. Yogendra Swamy of Mysuru Grahaka Parishat, a dedicated rail activist, highlights this inconvenience.
Southern Railway’s Principal Chief Electrical Engineer Ganesh and his team conducted the statutory inspection of the electrified 52-km line between Ramanathapuram and Rameswaram stations in Madurai division, including the New Pamban bridge between Mandapam and Rameswaram, on September 13, 2025.
Swamy points out that unlike issues of pending construction, all necessary infrastructure and approvals are in place. He notes the stark contrast with the prompt introduction of a daily service between Tambaram-Chennai and Rameswaram immediately after the new bridge opened, leaving passengers from Karnataka feeling overlooked and forced to rely on inconvenient transfers.
G. Hanumanth Kamath, President of the Pashchima Karavali Railway Yatri Abhivriddhi Samithi, echoed the sentiment, stating that the non-introduction of the Mangaluru-Rameswaram bi-weekly express, even a year after its announcement, has deeply disappointed coastal Karnataka residents.
Both activists emphasize that until trains actually begin running, all approvals and announcements remain mere promises on paper, failing to address the pressing travel needs of pilgrims and other passengers.