Iron rope of Pamban bridge snaps, one injured; vessel traffic

An iron rope of the century-old cantilever Pamban railway bridge snapped Wednesday injuring a 45-year-old worker while it was being raised, resulting in the disruption of vessel traffic, an official said.

Sesu, one of the contract workers who manually lift the span of the bridge, connecting this island town with the mainland, was injured when the rope snapped and fell on him.

He has been admitted to a private hospital for treatment, a pamban port official said.

The official further said it would take at least a week to repair thesea bridge and no vessel would be able to pass through it till then.

Technical experts from Chennaiwould arrive to restore it, he said.

The Scherzer span, named after the German engineer William Donald Scherzer, is a rolling lift that helps the bridge open up to allow ships to pass.

Constructed in one of the most corrosive environments of the world, the bridge needs continuous maintenance of its metallic parts.