Construction work on the new 2.05 km Pamban Railway Bridge in Mandapam, which will connect Rameswaram to the mainland in Tamil Nadu, was in full swing on Wednesday.
The construction work began on Saturday, following a 'Bhoomi Pooja'.
Speaking to ANI, Vishwanathan, a worker, said: "The Central government plans to build the new bridge as the centuries-old Pamban Rail Bridge is losing its strength. Currently, the construction of pillars of the bridge is underway at Mandapam."
The cost of the project is estimated to be around Rs 250 crore.
The new bridge will help the railways to operate trains at higher speed, carry more weight and increase the volume of traffic between Pamban and Rameswaram.
The existing Pamban Rail Bridge, which connects Rameswaram to mainland India, is 105 years old.