NewsBytes

PM Modi inaugurates new Pamban bridge in TN

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday inaugurated the Pamban sea bridge, providing rail link between Rameswaram island and the mainland and flagged off the new Rameswaram-Tambaram (Chennai) train service in Rameswaram. The PM also flagged off a Coast Guard ship which passed under the bridge.

The bridge is all set to improve connectivity to this spiritual destination flocked by devotees throughout the year from across the country. Built at a cost of over Rs 550 crore, this is India's first vertical sea-lift bridge.

Spanning 2.08 kilometers, the bridge comprises 99 spans and a 72.5-meter-long vertical lift span that can be raised up to 17 meters, allowing the smooth passage of large ships while ensuring seamless train operations.

The bridge features stainless steel reinforcement, high-grade paint, and fully welded joints, enhancing durability while reducing maintenance requirements.

Its foundation is supported by 333 piles and 101 piers/pile caps, designed for dual rail tracks and future expansion. The use of polysiloxane paint protects it from corrosion, ensuring longevity in the harsh marine environment. This bridge is a remarkable blend of tradition and technology.

The most notable feature of the new Pamban bridge is its state-of-the-art vertical lift mechanism, "an engineering marvel," making it the first vertical lift railway sea bridge in India.

The new bridge employs a vertical lift 72-meter central span that rises 22 meter above the water, allowing larger vessels to pass beneath with ease. Under rail traffic, the bridge remains simply supported at two ends thus ensuring absolute stability.

EU countries cautious on Brazil's push for new climate body

Brazil’s idea to create a new multilateral body under the UN climate regime to fast-track implementation of COP decisions has triggered cautious responses from key developed countries, with Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden backing reform discussions but warning against weakening the core UNFCCC process. Brazil, which will host this year's UN climate conference or COP30 in Belem, has informally proposed setting up a "Climate Change Council" under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to improve how the world responds to climate change. The idea is to speed up decision-making, coordinate efforts and improve implementation as many feel the current UN climate process is too slow and complicated.

Women own 39.2% of bank accounts in India: Govt report          

Women own 39.2 per cent of bank accounts in the country and the proportion is even higher at 42.2 per cent in rural areas, according to a government report. The Statistics and Programme Implementation Ministry (MoSPI) released the 26th edition of its publication titled “Women and Men in India 2024: Selected Indicators and Data” on Sunday. The publication offers a comprehensive overview of the gender landscape in India, presenting selected indicators and data across key areas like population, education, health, economic participation, and decision-making, all sourced from various ministries/ departments/organisations. A MOSPI statement said the report highlights that women own 39.2 per cent of all bank accounts and contribute to 39.7 per cent of total deposits. Their participation is the highest in rural areas, where they make up 42.2 per cent of account holders.

Fresh plea in SC challenges validity of Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025      

A fresh plea has been filed in the Supreme Court challenging the constitutional validity of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, claiming it was a "blatant intrusion" into the rights of a religious denomination to manage its own affairs in the matter of religion. President Droupadi Murmu on Saturday gave her assent to the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which was earlier passed by Parliament after heated debates in both Houses. Several petitions have been filed in the apex court challenging the validity of the bill. The fresh petition has been filed by Samastha Kerala Jamiathul Ulema, a religious organisation of Sunni Muslim scholars and clerics in Kerala. The plea said these amendments would distort the religious character of Waqfs while also irreversibly damaging the democratic process in the administration of Waqf and Waqf Boards.

Govt plans capacity building activities for frontline workers of HPV vaccination

The Union Health Ministry is planning to roll out capacity building activities for frontline workers involved in administration of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination, sources said. In her interim budget speech in 2024, Union minister Nirmala Sitharaman had said that the government will encourage vaccination of girls in the age group of 9-14 years to prevent cervical cancer. According to sources, the Union Health Ministry has held several meetings and is working on a detailed strategy for the implementation of the same. "Roll-out of capacity building activities for the frontline workers and IEC (information education and communications) activities for sensitisation purposes are being planned with respect to HPV vaccination," an official source said. In June 2022, National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI) had recommended the introduction of HPV vaccine in the Universal Immunisation Programme for adolescent girls in the age group of 9-14 years.